Thermal transfer sheet

ABSTRACT

A thermal transfer sheet wherein a clear image having a sufficient density is formed in a thermal transfer process using a sublimable dye and wherein the formed image exhibits excellent fastnesses, particularly excellent light fastness. 
     The thermal transfer sheet includes a base sheet and a dye-containing layer formed on one surface of the base sheet wherein a dye contained in the dye-containing layer includes a mixture of two or more specific dyes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a thermal transfer sheet, and moreparticularly to a thermal transfer sheet capable of forming a recordingimage having excellent color density, clearness, and fastnesses,particularly light fastness.

Heretofore, various thermal transfer processes have been known. Ofthese, there has been widely used a sublimation transfer process whereina sublimable dye is used as a recording agent; it is carried on a basesheet such as paper to form a thermal transfer sheet; this thermaltransfer sheet is superposed on a transferable material which can bedyed by the sublimable dye, for example, a polyester woven fabric or thelike; and a heat energy is applied in the form of a pattern from theback surface of the thermal transfer sheet to transfer the sublimabledye to the transferable material.

Recently, there has been a process for forming various full color imageson materials such as paper and plastic films using the thermal transferprocess of sublimation type described above. In this case, a thermalhead of a printer is used as heating means, multi-color dots such asthree-color or four-color dots are transferred to the transferablematerial by heating for an extremely short period of time, and the fullcolor images of a original are reproduced by the multi-color dots.

The images thus formed are very clear since the colorant used is a dye.Because the transparency is excellent, the images obtained haveexcellent neutral tint reproducibility and gradation, they are similarto the images obtained by the prior offset printing and gravure printingand high performance images comparable to full color photographic imagescan be formed.

However, the most important problems of the thermal transfer processdescribed above are inferior color density and light fastness of theformed images.

That is, in the case of high-speed recording, it is required that theimpartation of the heat energy be an extremely short period of time ofsubsecond. Accordingly, the sublimable dye and the transferable materialare not sufficiently heated due to such a short period of time andtherefore images having a sufficient density cannot be formed.

Accordingly, sublimable dyes having an excellent sublimation propertyhave been developed in order to cope with such a high-speed recording,process. However, the dyes having an excellent sublimation property havegenerally a small molecular weight and therefore their light fastness islack in the transferable material after transfer. Thus, the formedimages are liable to be faded.

If sublimable dyes having a relatively high molecular weight are used inorder to avoid such problems, images having a satisfactory density asdescribed above cannot be obtained since the sublimation rate isinferior in the high-speed recording process as described above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfersheet wherein clear images having a sufficiently high density isprovided in a thermal transfer process using a sublimable dye andwherein formed images exhibit excellent fastnesses, particularlyexcellent light fastness.

The object described above is achieved by the present invention. Thatis, the present invention is directed to a thermal transfer sheetcomprising a base sheet and a dye-containing layer formed on the onesurface of said base sheet wherein a dye included in said dye-containinglayer comprises a mixture of two or more specific dyes.

A mixture of at least one dye represented by the following formulae (1)and (2) with at least one dye represented by the following formulae (3)and (4) is suitable as a yellow dye included in said dye-containinglayer: ##STR1## wherein X represents ##STR2## (a five or six-memberedring reaction residue represented by ##STR3## which may have a fusedring); A represents an electron attractive group; Z represents --CO--,--NR₆ --, --S--, --O-- or --NH--; R₁ represents a hydrogen atom, R₆, ahalogen atom, a nitro group, --OR₆, --SR₆ or an allyl group which may besubstituted; R₂ represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, --OR₆ or--SR₆ ; R₃ represents a hydrogen atom, R₆, a halogen atom, a nitrogroup, an allyl group which may be substituted, --OR₆, --SR₆, asulfamoyl group, a carbamoyl group, an acyl group, an acylamide group, asulfonamide group, an ureido group, or --NR₆ R₆ (R₆ may be the same ordifferent); R₄ represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, --OR₆, --SR₆,a cyano group, --COOR₆, a carbamoyl group, or a sulfamoyl group; R₅represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, --OR₆, or --SR₆ ; R₆represents an alkyl group which may be substituted, an aryl group whichmay be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, or aheterocyclic ring which may be substituted; and R₇ represents a hydrogenatom, --R₆ an allyl group which may be substituted, an alkenyl groupwhich may be substituted, a heteroalkenyl group which may besubstituted, an arylalkyl group which may be substituted, an alkoxyalkylgroup which may be substituted, a oxycarbonylalkyl group which may besubstituted, a carboxyalkyl group which may be substituted, aoxycarboxyalkyl group which may be substituted, or a cycloalkylalkylgroup which may be substituted; provided that two mutually adjacentsubstituents R₁ through R₅ may form a ring; ##STR4## wherein R₁represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbonatoms, or a cycloalkyl group; R₂ represents a hydrogen atom, a halogenatom, an alkoxy group which may be substituted, an alkylthio group whichmay be substituted, or an arylthio group which may be substituted; andR₃ represents a branched alkyl group having from 3 to 5 carbon atoms, ano-substituted oxycarbonyl group, N-substituted aminocarbonyl group inwhich the N-substituent may from a ring, or a substituted orunsubstituted heterocyclic ring having at least two atoms selected fromthe group consisting of a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atomand combinations thereof, provided that when R₁ is hydrogen, R₃ is abranched alkyl group having from 3 to 5 carbon atoms, or a substitutedheterocyclic ring having at least two atoms selected from the groupconsisting of an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom and combinations thereof;##STR5## wherein Z represents an alkyl group which may be substituted,an aryl group which may be substituted, or a heterocyclic aryl groupwhich may be substituted; R represents an alkyl group which may besubstituted, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, --R₂, --COR₂,--OSO₂ R₂, --CO·OR₂, --OR₂, --O ·COR₂, --SO₂ R₂, an aryl group which maybe substituted, or a heterocyclic aryl group which may be substituted;R₁ represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may be substituted,an aryl group which may be substituted, a cyano group, a nitro group, ahalogen atom, a heterocyclic aryl group, a cycloalkyl group which may besubstituted, --R₂, --COR₂, --OSO₂ R₂, --CO·OR₂, --OR₂, --O·COR₂, or--SO₂ R₂ (when n is other than 1, R₁ may be the same or different); R₂represents an alkyl group containing at least one group selected fromthe group consisting of --O--, --O·CO--, --CO·O--, --SO₂ --, --OSO₂ --,--NH--, --O·CO·O--, and --OH; and n represents an integer of from 1 to5; ##STR6## R₁ and R₃ represent an alkyl group which may be substituted,a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an arylalkyl group whichmay be substituted, a heterocyclic aryl group which may be substituted,or --R₆ (R₁ and R₃ may be the same or different); X and Y represent ahydrogen atom, a cycloalkyl group which may be substituted, an arylgroup which may be substituted, heterocyclic ring which may besubstituted, --OH, --CN, --NO₂ or R₆ (X and Y may be the same ordifferent), R₂ and R₄ (when X and Y are those other than a hydrogenatom, --OH, --CN and --NO₂) represent a hydrogen atom, --OH, --CN,--NO₂, an alkyl group which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group whichmay be substituted, an aryl group which may be substituted, aheterocyclic ring which may be substituted, or --R₆ ; Z represents analkyl group which may be substituted and/or may form a ring togetherwith R₁, R₂, R.sub. 3, or R₄, --NHCOR₆, --NHSO₂ R₆, --CN, --NO₂, R₆ or--OR₆ ; R₅ represents an alkyl group which may; be substituted, --OH,--R₆, --NHCOR₁, --OR₁, --COR₁, --NHSO₂ R₁, or --CO·OR₁ ; and R₆represents an alkyl group interrupted by at least one group selectedfrom the group consisting of --O--, --O·CO--, --CO·O--, --SO₂ --, --OSO₂--, --NH--, --O·CO·O-- and combinations thereof.

In order to adjust hue, known yellow dyes, magenta dyes or cyan dyes canalso be mixed.

A mixture of at least one anthraquinone dye represented by the followingformulae (5) through (8) with at least one polymethine dye representedby the following formula (9) is suitable as a magenta dye included insaid dye-containing layer: ##STR7## wherein X and Y represent --S--,--O--, or --SO₂ --; R₁, R₂ and R₃ represent a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or allyl group, and R₄ represent ahalogen atom or a cyano group; ##STR8## wherein R₅ and R₆ represent asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl; R₇ represents a substituted orunsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aromaticheterocyclic group; R₈ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkylor cycloalkyl group or NR₉ R₁₀ ; and R₉ and R₁₀ represent a substitutedor unsubstituted alkylcarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstitutedarylcarbonyl group.

In order to adjust hue, known yellow dyes, magenta dyes or cyan dyes canalso be mixed.

A mixture of at least one anthraquinone dye represented by the followingformulae (10) through (14) with at least one dye represented by thefollowing formula (15) and (16) is suitable as a cyan dye included insaid dye-containing layer: ##STR9## wherein R₁ and R₂ represent an alkylgroup which may be substituted, a cycloalkyl group which may besubstituted, an aryl group which may be substituted, a heterocyclicgroup which may be substituted, an allyl group which may be substituted,or an arylalkyl group which may be substituted; ##STR10## wherein R₄through R₉ represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, amino, or ureido group, --CON(R₁₀) (R₁₁),--CSN (R₁₀) (R₁₁), --SO₂ N(R₁₀)(R₁₁), --COOR₁₀, or --CSOR₁₀ ; R₁₀ andR₁₁ represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, vinyl, allyl, cycloalkyl oraromatic heterocyclic group; R₁₀ and R₁₁ may form a ring; R₁₂ and R₁₃represent independently a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstitutedalkyl, vinyl, allyl, aryl, alkoxyalkyl, aralkyl, alkoxycarbonylalkyl,carboxyalkyl or alkoxycarboxyalkyl group, R₁₂ and R₁₃ may form a ringand R₁₂ or R₁₃ may form a ring together with X or Y; R₃ represents ahydroxyl group, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, alkylformylamino, alkylsulfonylamino, formylamino,allylformylamino, sulfonylamino, allylsulfonylamino, carbamoyl,sulfamoyl, amino, carboxyl, alkoxy or ureido group; and n represents aninteger of from 0 to 3.

In order to adjust hue, known yellow dyes, magenta dyes or cyan dyes canalso be mixed.

In a black thermal transfer sheet comprising a base sheet and a dyelayer containing a plurality of dyes which is formed on the one surfaceof said base sheet, a mixture of at least one dye represented by thefollowing general formulae (17) and (18), at least one dye representedby the following general formula (19) and at least one dye representedby the following general formulae (20) and (21) is suitable as dyesincluded in said dye layer: ##STR11## wherein R₁ represents asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy group; R₂ represents analkoxy carbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxy, alkyl,cycloalkyl or heterocyclic group; R₃ and R₄ represent a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl group; R₅ represents a substituted or unsubstitutedaryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclicgroup; R₆ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or cycloalkylgroup or NR₇ R₈ ; R₇ and R₈ represent a substituted or unsubstitutedalkylcarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted arylcarbonylgroup; R₁₁ and R₁₂ represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl,cycloalkyl or vinyl group; R₉ represents CONHR, NHCOR, SO₂ NHR, or NHSO₂R in which R represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl,cycloalkyl, aryl or aromatic heterocyclic group; and R₁₀ represents asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylcarbonylamino,alkylsulfonylamino, carbamoyl or sulfamoyl group, a hydrogen atom, or ahalogen atom.

In a thermal transfer sheet comprising a base sheet and at least threecolor layers of yellow, magenta, cyan (and like) formed planesuccessively on the one surface of said base sheet, it is suitable thatthere be used at least one dye represented by the following formulae(22) and (23) as the yellow dye, at least one dye represented by thefollowing formula (24) as the magenta dye and at least one dyerepresented by the following formulae (25) and (26) as the cyan dye:##STR12## wherein R₁ and R₁₀ represent a substituted or unsubstitutedalkyl or alkoxy group; R₂ represents an alkoxycarbonyl,alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxy, alkyl, or cycloalkyl group; R₃and R₄ represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; R₅represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted orunsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R₆ represents a substitutedor unsubstituted alkyl or cycloalkyl group or NR₇ R₈ ; R₇ and R₈represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkylcarbonyl group or asubstituted or unsubstituted arylcarbonyl group; R₁₁ and R₁₂ represent asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group; R₉ represents CONHR,NHCOR, SO₂ NHR, or NHSO₂ R in which R represents a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or aromatic heterocyclic group,and R₁₀ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy,alkylcarbonylamino, alkylsulfonylamino, carbamoyl or sulfamoyl group, ahydrogen atom, or a halogen atom.

In a further embodiment, in a thermal transfer sheet comprising a basesheet and dye-containing layer formed on the one surface of said basesheet wherein dyes included in the dye-containing layer are a mixture ofat least two dyes, it is suitable that there be used a mixture of atleast one dye represented by the following formulae (27) with at leastone dye represented by the following formula (28) as cyan dyes includedin said dye-containing layer: ##STR13## wherein R₁ represents CONHR,NHCOR, SO₂ NHR or NHSO₂ R in which R represents a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or heterocyclic group; R₂represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; R₃ represents analkyl or alkoxy group; and R₄ and R₅ represent a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy group; and ##STR14## wherein R₆ and R₇represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl group.

In order to adjust hue, the prior known yellow dyes, magenta dyes orcyan dyes may be mixed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a view showing characteristic curves of Example 382 andComparative Example 51;

FIG. 2 is a view showing a characteristic curve of the portions of threeprimary colors of Example 384;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a characteristic curve of the portions of threeprimary colors of Comparative Example 52; and

FIG. 4 is a view showing a color reproduction range of Example 384 andComparative Example 52.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Dyes of the formulae (1) through (4) suitable for use in the presentinvention are shown in the following Tables 1 through 8 by expressingthem by their substituents: ##STR15##

                                      TABLE 1                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Dye 1-1                                                                       No                                                                              R.sub.1  R.sub.2                                                                             R.sub.3  R.sub.4  R.sub.5 R.sub.7                            __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                   2                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.8 H.sub.17                  3                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.10 H.sub.21                 4                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 Ph                5                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                             --H   --CH.sub.3                                                                             --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                   6                                                                              --Cl     --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                   7                                                                              --NO.sub.2                                                                             --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                   8                                                                              --CH.sub.2 CH═CH.sub.2                                                             --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                   9                                                                              --SPh    --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  10                                                                              --SC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  11                                                                              --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --H   --CH.sub.3                                                                             --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  12                                                                              --H      --Cl  --Cl     --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  13                                                                              --H      --SPh --SPh    --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  14                                                                              --H      --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                  --H      --H      --Cl    --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  15                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH               16                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.6 H.sub.12 OH              17                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH              18                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.10 H.sub.22 OH             19                                                                              --H      --H   --Ph     --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  20                                                                              --H      --H   2-pyridyl-                                                                             --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  21                                                                              --H      --H   --CH.sub.2 Ph                                                                          --H      --H     --C.sub. 4 H.sub.9                 22                                                                              --H      --H   cyclohexyl-                                                                            --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  23                                                                              --H      --H   2-thienyl-                                                                             --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  24                                                                              --OPh    --H   --H      --COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --H     --Ph                               25                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2                                                   C.sub.4 H.sub.9                    26                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --Cl    --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OPh              27                                                                              --H      --H   --SC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3      28                                                                              --H      --H   (2-pyridyl)                                                                            --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOC.sub.2                                                  H.sub.5                                             --S--                                                        29                                                                              --H      --H   --NO.sub.2                                                                             --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOPh            30                                                                              --H      --H   --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                  --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOOPh           31                                                                              --H      --H   --Cl     --Cl     --H     --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2                                                   C.sub.2 H.sub.5                    32                                                                              --H      --H   -- CH.sub.2 CH═CH.sub.2                                                            --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  33                                                                              --H      --H   --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                         --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  34                                                                              --H      --H   --CONHPh --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  35                                                                              --H      --H   --COCH.sub.3                                                                           --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  36                                                                              --H      --H   --COPh   --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  37                                                                              --H      --H   --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                         --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  38                                                                              --H      --H   --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                  --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  39                                                                              --H      --H   --NHCONHCH.sub.3                                                                       --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  40                                                                              --H      --H   --N(CH.sub.3).sub.2                                                                    --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  41                                                                              --H      --H   --N(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 Ph                                                        --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  42                                                                              cyclohexyl                                                                             --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                    --O--                                                                       43                                                                              (2-furyl)                                                                              --H   --H      -- H     --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                    --O--                                                                       44                                                                              --H      cyclohexyl                                                                          --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                             --S--                                                              45                                                                              --H      (2-pyridyl)                                                                         --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                             --S--                                                              46                                                                              --H      --SC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                  --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  47                                                                              --H      --OPh --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  48                                                                              --H      (2-pyridyl)                                                                         --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                             --O--                                                              49                                                                              --H      --H   --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  50                                                                              --H      --H   --OPh    --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  51                                                                              --H      --H   cyclohexyl-O--                                                                         --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  52                                                                              --H      --H   (2-pyridyl)-O--                                                                        --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  53                                                                              --H      --H   cyclohexyl-S--                                                                         --H      --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  54                                                                              --H      --H   (2-pyridyl)-S--                                                                        --H      -- H    --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  55                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  56                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --OPh    --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  57                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --SC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  58                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --SPh    --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  59                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --CN     --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  60                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                         --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  61                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                  --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  62                                                                              --H      --H   --H      (2-pyridyl)-S--                                                                        --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  63                                                                              --H      --H   --H      cyclohexyl-S--                                                                         --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  64                                                                              --H      --H   --H      (2-furyl)-O--                                                                          --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  65                                                                              --H      --H   --H      cyclohexyl-O--                                                                         --H     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  66                                                                              --H      --H   --H      -- H     --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                    --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  67                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --OPh   --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  68                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      cyclohexyl-O--                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  69                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      (2-pyridyl)-O--                                                                       --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  70                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --SC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                    --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  71                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --SPh   --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  72                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      cyclohexyl-S--                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  73                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      (2-pyridyl)-O--                                                                       --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  74                                                                              --H      --H   --CH═C(CN).sub.2                                                                   --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                  75                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                  76                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --OCH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                  77                                                                              --H      --H                                                                t-C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                               --H      --H   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            78                                                                              --H      --H   --H      --H      --OCH.sub.2 Ph                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                  __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 2                                                         ______________________________________                                        Dye 1-2                                                                       No    R.sub.7                                                                 ______________________________________                                         1    --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.3 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                              2                                                                            iso-C.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                            3    cyclohexyl-                                                              4    2,4-dichlorobenzyl-                                                      5    2-pyridyl-                                                               6    2-(6-methylpyridyl)-                                                     7    (2-pyridyl)methyl-                                                       8    2,4,6-trichlorobenzyl-                                                   9    4-ethoxycarbonylbenzyl-                                                 10    2-ethoxycarbonylbenzyl-                                                 11    --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                    12    (2-pyridyl)ethyl-                                                       13    2-chlorophenyl-                                                         14    4-chlorophenyl-                                                         15    2,4-dichlorophenyl-                                                     16    4-hydroxyphenetyl-                                                      17    2-methylphenetyl-                                                       18    3-methylphenetyl-                                                       19    4-methylphenetyl-                                                       20    CH.sub.2 COOCH.sub.2 COOC.sub.2 H.sub.6                                 21    --CH.sub.2 COOCH.sub.2 Ph                                               22    4-ethoxycarbonylphenoxycarbonylmethyl-                                  23    4-cyclohexyloxycarbonylphenoxycarbonylmethyl-                           24    4-cyclohexylphenoxycarbonylmethyl-                                      25    --CH.sub.2 CONHC.sub.6 H.sub.13                                         26    --CH.sub.2 SO.sub.2 NHC.sub.6 H.sub.13                                  27    4-(2-hydroxyethyl)benzyl-                                               28    4-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]benzyl-                                     29    2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]benzyl-                                     30    3-[4-(2-hydroxyetyl)phenoxy]ethoxyethyl-                                31    4-[2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]phenyl]butyl-                            32    3-[4-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]phenoxycarbonyl                                propyl-                                                                 33    4-(ethoxycarbonylmethoxycarbonyl)phenetyl-                              34    2-[4-(3-ethoxycarbonylpropoxycarbonyl)phenoxy]ethyl-                    35    4-[2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl]                                        phenoxycarbonylmethyl-                                                  36    2-[2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethyl]                                        phenoxycarbonylmethyl-                                                  37    4-hyroxybenzyl-                                                         38    2-hyroxybenzyl-                                                         39    4-hydroxycarbonylbenzyl-                                                40    4-isopropylbenzyl-                                                      41    4-(4-hydroxybutyl)benzyl-                                               42    4-dibutylaminobenzyl-                                                   43    4-(2-ethoxycarbonylethoxycarbonyl)benzyl-                               44    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOCH.sub.3                                           45    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOOCH.sub.3                                          46    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOOPh                                                47    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                    48    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOC.sub.4 H.sub.9                                    49    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOOCH.sub.3                                          50    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOOC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                   51    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOCH.sub.3                                           52    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOC.sub.5 H.sub.11                                   53    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 COOCH.sub.3                                           54    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 COOC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                    55    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOC.sub.3 H.sub.7 -iso                               56    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOOCH.sub.3                                          57    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOOPh                                                58    --C.sub.6 H.sub.12 OCOCH.sub.3                                          59    --C.sub.6 H.sub.12 COOCH.sub.3                                          60    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 COOC.sub.4 H.sub.9 -sec                               61    --C.sub.6 H.sub.12 COOC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                   62    --C.sub.5 H.sub.10 OH                                                   63    --C.sub.5 H.sub.10 OCOCH.sub.3                                          64    --C.sub.5 H.sub.10 COOCH.sub.3                                          65    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOC.sub.4 H.sub.9 -sec                               66    --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                    67    --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                    68    --C.sub. 6 H.sub.12 COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                  69    4-(3-piperidyl)butyl-                                                   70    4-(4-piperidylcarboxy)butyl-                                            71    4-(1-piperazynyloxycarboxy)butyl-                                       72    4-(2-piperazynyloxycarboxy)butyl-                                       73    4-(morphoinylcarboxy)butyl-                                             74    4-(2-thienyloxy)butyl-                                                  75    5-[5-(3-methyl-1-hexene)carboxy]pentyl-                                 76    4-(3-pyranyloxycarboxy)butyl-                                           77    6-(6-bicyclo[3.2.1.]octoxy)hexyl-                                       ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 3                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Dye 1-3                                                                       No                                                                              R.sup.1                                                                          R.sup.2                                                                          R.sup.3                                                                           R.sub.4    R.sub.5                                                                          R.sub.7                                                                             A                                             __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --CONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                          2                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   2-thiazolyl-                                   3                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   2-pyridyl-                                     4                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   2-benzoxazolyl-                                5                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   2-benzothiazolyl-                              6                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   3-ethyl-2-                                                                    benzimidazolyl-                                7                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   3,3-dimethyl-3H-                                                              indol-2-yl-                                    8                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --SPh                                                                             --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub. 8 OH                                                               --CONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                          9                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                --CONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                         10                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                3-ethyl-4,5-dicyano-                                                          2-imidazolyl-                                 11                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                5-(4-ethyl-3-cyano-                                                           1,2,4-triazolyl)-                             12                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --H                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-                                                            oxadiazolyl)-                                 13                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --H        --Cl                                                                             --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                2-(5-phenyl-1,3,4-                                                            oxadiazolyl)-                                 14                                                                              --H                                                                              --H                                                                              --H --CONHC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                          --H                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                2-benzothiazolyl-                             __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 4                                                         ______________________________________                                        Dye 1-4                                                                       No  R.sub.7    X                                                              ______________________________________                                         1  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolin-5-one-4-ylindene-                   2  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1-phenyl-3-dimethylamino-pyrazolin-5-                                         one-4-ylindene-                                                 3  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1,2-diphenyl-pyrazolidine-3,5-dione-4-ylindene-                 4  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1-butyl-3,3-dimethyl-2-indolinylidene-                          5  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-ethyl-2-benzoxazolinylidene-                                  6  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-ethyl-2-benzothiazolinylidene-                                7  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    4,6-diphenyl-2H-pyran-2-ylindene-                               8  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-methyl-5-phenyl-2-oxadiazolinylidene-                         9  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-methyl-5-phenyl-2-thiadiazolinylidene-                       10  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-ethyl-4,5-dicyano-2-thiazolinylidene-                        11  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1,3-diethyl-2-benzimidazolinylidene-                           12  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1-butyl-2-pyridinylidene-                                      13  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    2-phenyl-thiazolin-4-one-5-ylindene-                           14  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    2-diethylamino-thiazolin-4-one-5-ylindene-                     15  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1-butyl-3-phenyl-imidazolidine-2-thion-4-                                     one-5-ylindene-                                                16  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    benzo-[b]-thien-3-one-2-ylindene-                              17  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-phenyl-thiazolidine-2-thion-4-one-5-ylindene-                18  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-phenyl-thiazolidine-2,4-dione-5-ylindene-                    19  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    3-phenyl-oxazolidine-2-thion-4-one-5-indene-                   20  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1,3-diphenyl-hexahydropyrimidine-                                             2,4,6-trione-5-ylindene                                        21  -- C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                   2H-indene-1,3-dione-2-2-indene-                                22  --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                    1-phenyl-4-pyridinylidene-                                     ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 5                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Dye 1-5                                                                       No                                                                              R.sub.3                                                                            R.sub.4   R.sub.7 X                                                    __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --H  --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                          --C.sub.8 H.sub.17                                                                    1-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolin-                                                  5-one-4-ylindene-                                     2                                                                              --SPh                                                                              --H       --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                 1-phenyl-3-dimethylamino-                                                     pyrazolin-5-one-4-ylindene                            3                                                                              --H  --COOC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                   --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                 1-phenyl-3-dimethylamino-                                                     pyrazolin-5-one-4-ylindene                            4                                                                              --Cl --H       --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                 1,2-diphenyl-pyrazolidine-3,5-                                                dione-4-ylindene-                                     5                                                                              --H  --Cl      --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                 1,2-diphenyl-pyrazolidine-3,5-                                                dione-4-ylindene-                                     6                                                                              --H  --SPh     --C.sub.8 H.sub.16 OH                                                                 1-phenyl-3-methyl-pyrazolin-                                                  5-one-4-ylindene-                                    __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 6                                     __________________________________________________________________________     ##STR16##                         Dye 2                                      No R.sub.1 R.sub.2    R.sub.3                                                 __________________________________________________________________________    isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                       H          CON(n-C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2                            2                                                                             nC.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                 H       COOCH.sub.2 COOC.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                 3  H                                                                                      ##STR17## H                                                       4                                                                                 ##STR18##                                                                            H          COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                      5                                                                             isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                               H                                                                                      ##STR19##                                                         __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 7                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Dye 3                                                                         No                                                                              Z   R                4R.sub.2                                               __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                              --H                                                     2                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.3 H.sub.7 (n)                                                                          --H                                                     3                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --H                                                     4                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                                    --H                                                     5                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --CH.sub.3                                              6                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                       7                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3       --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                      8                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3       --Cl                                                    9                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3       --F                                                    10                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.2 OH    --H                                                    11                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        4-hydroxymethylcyclohexylmethyl-                                                               --H                                                    12                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OH                                                                      --H                                                    13                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --(CH.sub.2).sub.4 OH                                                                          --H                                                    14                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                      --CH.sub.3                                             15                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                          --Cl                                                   16                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                           --H                                                    17                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --Ph             --CH.sub.3                                             18                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        2-pyridyl-       --CF.sub.3                                             19                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        2-(6-methyl)pyridyl-                                                                           --CN                                                   20                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        m-toluyl-        --NO.sub.2                                             21                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        P-toluyl-        --Cl                                                   22                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        cyclohexyl-      --CN                                                   23                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                                  --CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5           24                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                           cyclohexyl-                                            25                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                          --COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                   26                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOOCH.sub.3                                                                 --OCOCH.sub.3                                          27                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                 4-acetoxyphehyl-                                       28                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCH.sub.3                                                                    --Ph                                                   29                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOPh                                                                        4-ethoxycarbonylphenyl-                                30                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OCOOPh                                                                       --H                                                    31                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 CONHCH.sub.3                                                                 acetyl-                                                32                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub. 5                                                                --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     33                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          2-hyroxyethyl-                                         34                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5           35                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --Cl                                                   36                                                                              --Ph                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --CH.sub.3                                             37                                                                              --Ph                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                           cyclohexyl-                                            38                                                                              --Ph                                                                              --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --C.sub.6 H.sub.12 OH                                  39                                                                              --Ph                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.2                                 H.sub.5                                                40                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          cyclohexyl-                                            41                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          cyclohexyloxycarbonylmethyl-                           42                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          cyclohexylmethyl-                                      43                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --SO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                    44                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.2 Ph    --CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.2                                 H.sub.5                                                45                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.4 H.sub.9           46                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          cyclohexylcarboxymethyl-                               47                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5           48                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCH.sub.3                                                                    --OSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                   49                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            4-cyclohexylphenyl-                                    50                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCH.sub.3                                                                    --CH.sub.2 Ph                                          51                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                  52                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                             2-hydroxyethyl-                                        53                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          --N(C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2                             54                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCH.sub.3                                                                    --CON(C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2                           55                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                 --CH.sub.3                                             56                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub. 9 (n)                                                                         2-CH.sub.3, 4-CH.sub.3                                 57                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          2-Cl, 4-Cl                                             58                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          3-Cl                                                   59                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                                          3-F                                                    __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 8                                     __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the formula (4)                                                        No                                                                              Z    R.sub.5 --R.sub.2 --R.sub.2                                                                    --R.sub.3 --X--R.sub.4                                __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --H  --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                      2                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                      3                                                                              --H  --H     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                  4                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                  5                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                    6                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                          7                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                            8                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                    9                                                                              --H  --CH.sub. 3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCONHC.sub.3 H.sub.7                10                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                11                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCONHC.sub.4 H.sub.9                12                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-cyclohexylaminocarboxyethyl-                        13                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                         --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     14                                                                              --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     15                                                                              --H  --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     16                                                                              --H  --NHC.sub.2 H.sub.4 O                                                                 --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                  C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                     17                                                                              --H  --NHCOO --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                              18                                                                              --H  --OH    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                  19                                                                              --H  --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub. 3                                                                --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 OH                                  20                                                                              --H  --COOCH.sub.3                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     21                                                                              --Cl --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     22                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-cyclohexyloxybenzyl-                                23                                                                              --H  --OCH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     24                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOOC.sub.4 H.sub.9                 25                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-phenoxycarboxyethyl-                                26                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2 C.sub.2                                 H.sub.5                                               27                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-(2-cyclohexyloxythoxycarbonyl)                                              ethyl-                                                28                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-(4-cyclohexylphenoxy)ethyl-                         29                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                     30                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      benzyl-                                               31                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-thienylethyl-                                       32                                                                              -- H --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-pyridylethyl-                                       33                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      m-toluyl-                                             34                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2                                   H.sub.5                                               35                                                                              --H  --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3        36                                                                              --Cl --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                         37                                                                              --OCH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                 __________________________________________________________________________

While the amount of the dyes of the formulae (1) and (2) and the amountof the dyes of the formulae (3) and (4) can vary depending upon therespective specific dyes selected, they are preferably used in a weightratio of from 10:90 to 90:10. If the proportion of the dye of theformulae (1) and (2) is larger, the color density will be reduced. Ifthe proportion of the dye of the formulae (1) and (2) is smaller, thelight fastness will be reduced.

In order to adjust hue, known dyes can be mixed. In general, dyes suchas diarylmethane dyes: triarylmethane dyes; thiazole dyes; methine dyesrepresented by merocyanine; azomethine dyes represented by indoaniline,acetophenoneazomethine, imidazoleazomethine, pyrazoloazomethine,imidazoazomethine, and pyridoneazomethine; xanthene dyes; oxazine dyes;cyanomethylene dyes represented by dicyanostyrene and tricyanostyrene;thiazine dyes; azine dyes; acridine dyes; benzeneazo dyes; heterocyclicazo dyes represented by pyridoneazo, thiopheneazo, isothiaoleazo,pyrroleazo, pyrazoleazo, imidazoleazo, thiadiazoleazo, triazoleazo, anddisazo, compounds; spirodipyran dyes; indolineospiropyran dyes; fluorandyes; rhodamine lactam dyes; naphthoquinone dyes; antraquinone dyes; andquinophalone dyes are typical. The following dyes can be preferablyused:

    ______________________________________                                        C.I. (COLOR INDEX) C.I.                                                       ______________________________________                                        Disperse Yellow                                                                             51, 3, 54, 79, 60, 23, 7, 141, 201, and                                       231;                                                            Disperse Blue 24, 56, 14, 301, 334, 165, 19, 72, 87,                                        287, 154, 26 and 354;                                           Disperse Red  135, 146, 59, 1, 73, 60 and 167;                                Disperse Violet                                                                             4, 13, 26, 36, 56 and 31;                                       Disperse Orange                                                                             149;                                                            Solvent Violet                                                                              13;                                                             Solvent Black 3;                                                              Solvent Green 3;                                                              Solvent Yellow                                                                              56, 14, 16 and 29;                                              Solvent Blue  70, 35, 63, 36, 50, 49, 111, 105, 97                                          and 11;                                                         Solvent Red   135, 8, 18, 25, 19, 23, 24, 143, 146,                                         182;                                                            ______________________________________                                         and the like.

Examples of such dyes include methine (cyanine) basic dyes such asmonomethine, dimethine or trimethine dyes such as3,3'-diethyloxathiacyanine iodide Astrazon Pink FG (manufactured byBayer; C.I. 48015), 2,2'-carbocyanine (C.I. 808), Astraphylloxine FF(C.I. 48070), Astrazone Yellow 7GLL (C.I. Basic Yellow 21), AizenKachiron Yellow 3 GLH (manufactured by Hodogay Kagaku; C.I. 48055) andAizen Kachiron Red 6 BH (C.I. 48020); diphenylmethane basic dyes such asAuramine (C.I. 655); triphenylmethane basic dyes such as Malachite Green(C.I. 42700) Brilliant Green (C.I. 42040), Magenta (C.I. 42510), MetalViolet (C.I. 42535), Crystal violet (C.I. 42555), Methyl Green (C.I.684) and, Victoria Blue B (C.I. 44045); xanthene basic dyes such asPyronine G (C.I. 739), Rhodamine B (C.I. 45170), and Rhodamine 6G (C.I.45160); acridine basic dyes such as Acridine Yellow G (C.I. 785), LeoneAL (C.I. 46075), benzoflavin (C.I. 791) and affine (C.I. 46045;quinoneimine basic dyes such as Neutral Red (C.I. 50040), Astrazone BlueBGE/x 125% (C.I. 51005) and Methylene Blue (C.I. 52015); and other basicdyes such as antraquinone basic dyes having a quanternary ammoniumgroup.

The cyan dyes include Kayaset Blue 714 (manufactured by Nippon kayaku;Solvent Blue 63), Phorone Brilliant Blue S-R (manufactured by Sand;Disperse Blue 354) and Waxoline AP-FW (manufactured by I.C.I.; SolventBlue 36); the magenta dyes include MS-RED G (manufactured by MitsuiToatsu; Disperse Red 60), Macrorex Red Violet R (manufactured by Bayer;disperse Violet 26); the yellow dyes include Phorone Brilliant YellowS-6GL (manufactured by Sand; Disperse Yellow 231), and MacrorexYellow-6G (manufactured by Bayer; Disperse Yellow 201); and dyes havingthe following skeleton can be used herein: ##STR20##

These dyes can be used in the form such that they are intact.Alternatively, these dyes can be used in the form wherein they aretreated with an alkali. Further, counter ion exchangers or leucoproducts of these dyes can be used. When leuco dyes which are colorlessor light-colored under normal conditions, a developer is included in athermal transfer image-receptive sheet.

Sublimable yellow dyes described in Japanese patent Laid-OpenPublication Nos. 78,895/1984, 28,451/1985, 28,453/1985, 53,564/1985,148,096/1986, 239,290/1985, 31,565/1985, 30,393/1985, 53,565/1985,27,594/1985, 262,191/1986, 152,563/1985, 244,595/1986 and 196,186/1987,and International Publication No. WO 92/05032; sublimable magenta dyesdescribed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 223,862/1985,28,452/1985, 31,563/1985, 78, 896/1984, 31,564/1985, 30,391/1985,227,092/1986, 227,091/1986, 30,392/1985, 30,394/1985, 131,293/1985,227,093/1986, 159,091/1985 and 262,190/1986, U.S. Pat. No. 4,698,651,Japanese Patent Application No. 220,793/1987 and U.S. Pat. No.5,079,365; and sublimable cyan dyes described in Japanese PatentLaid-Open Publication Nos. 78,894/1984, 227,490/1984, 151,098/1985,227,493/1984, 244,594/1986, 227,948/1984, 131,292/1985, 172,591/1985,151, 097/1985, 131,294/1985, 217,266/1985, 31,559/1985, 53,563/1985,225,897/1986, 239,289/1985, 22,993/1986, 19,396/1986, 268,493/1986,35,994/1986, 31,467/1986, 148,269/1986, 49,873/1986, 57,651/1986,239,291/1985, 239,292/1985, 284,489/1986 and 191,191/1987, JapanesePatent Application No. 176, 625/1987, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,365 alsoare suitably used.

More preferred dyes having the following general formulae areexemplified: ##STR21## wherein R₁ and R₂ represent a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkylgroup, or a substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl group; R₃ represents asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstitutedalkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkylcarbonylamino group, asubstituted or unsubstituted alkylsulfonylamino group, a substituted orunsubstituted alkylaminocarbonyl group, substituted or unsubstitutedalkylaminosulfonyl group, or a halogen atom; R₄ represents a substitutedor unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstitutedalkylaminocarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstitutedcycloalkyl group, a heterocyclic group, or a halogen atom; R₅ representsa substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted orunsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstitutedalkylaminocarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, asubstituted or unsubstituted alkylaminosulfonyl group, a substituted orunsubstituted cycloalkyl group, a cyano group, a nitro group or ahalogen atom; R₆ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group,a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, a substituted orunsubstituted amino group, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkylgroup, a cyano group, a nitro group, or a halogen atom; R₇ represents asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstitutedamino group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substitutedor unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group, or a halogen atom; R₈ representsa substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, an aromatic heterocyclicgroup, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, or an electronattractive group; R₉ represents CONHR₁₀, SO₂ NHR₁₀, NHCOR₁₁, NHSO₂ R₁₁or a halogen atom; R₁₀ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkylgroup, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, a substituted orunsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aromaticheterocyclic group; R₁₁ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkylgroup, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group, a substituted orunsubstituted amino group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, ora substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R₁₂represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; R₁₃ represents anamino group or a hydroxyl group; X represents a halogen atom; and Yrepresents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted orunsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group.

The thermal transfer sheet of the present invention is characterized inthat the specific dye mixture as described above is used. Otherconstitutions may be similar to those of the prior known thermaltransfer sheets.

Any prior known material may be used as the base sheet for use in thethermal transfer sheet of the present invention wherein the dye mixturedescribed above is used, provided that the material has a certainmeasure of heat resistance and strength. Examples of such materialsinclude materials having a thickness of the order of from 0.5 to 50micrometers, preferably from 3 to 10 micrometers such as papers, variousprocessed papers, polyester films, polystyrene films, polypropylenefilms, polysulfone films, polycarbonate films, aramid films, polyvinylalcohol films, cellophane and the like. A particularly preferredmaterial is a polyester film.

A dye-containing layer provided on the surface of the base sheet asdescribed above is a layer wherein the dye mixture described above issupported on the base sheet by an optional binder resin.

Any prior known binder resin can be used as the binder resin forsupporting the dye mixture described above. Examples of the preferredbinder resins include cellulosic resins such as ethyl cellulose,hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetatebutyrate; vinylic resins such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate,polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetoacetal, polyvinyl pyrrolidone,polyacrylamide and polystyrene; and the like. Of these, polyvinylbutyral and polyvinyl acetal are particularly preferred from thestandpoints of heat resistance and dye migration.

While the dye-containing layer of the thermal transfer sheet of thepresent invention is basically formed by the materials described above,it may include various additives similar to the prior known additives asneeded. Such a dye-containing layer is preferably formed by adding thedye mixture, the binder resin and optional components to a suitablesolvent to dissolve or disperse each component therein to prepare acoating solution or ink composition for forming the dye-containinglayer, applying the coating solution or ink composition to the basesheet described above and drying the whole. The dye-containing layerthus formed has a thickness of the order of from 0.2 to 5.0 micrometers,preferably from 0.4 to 2.0 micrometers. It is suitable that the dyemixture in the dye-containing layer be present in an amount of from 5%to 70% by weight, preferably from 10% to 60% by weight bared on theweight of the dye-containing layer. While the present thermal transfersheet as described above is sufficiently useful for thermal transfer asit is, the surface of the dye-containing layer may be provided with anantisticking layer, i.e., a release layer. Such a layer prevents thesticking between the thermal transfer sheet and the transferablematerial during the thermal transfer operation. Thus, higher thermaltransfer temperatures can be used, and images having an even moreexcellent density can be formed.

When an antisticking inorganic powder is merely deposited, the resultingrelease layer exerts a relatively high effect. Further, a release layerhaving a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 micrometers, preferably from 0.05 to2 micrometers can be formed from resins having excellent releasabilitysuch as silicone polymers, acrylic polymers and fluorinated polymers.

Even if the inorganic powder or releasing polymers as described aboveare included in the dye-containing layer, a sufficient effect can beobtained.

Further, the back surface of such a thermal transfer sheet may beprovided with a heat-resistant layer in order to prevent adverse effectdue to the heat of the thermal head.

Any transferable material may be used in forming images using thethermal transfer sheet as described above, provided that its recordingsurface has a dye receptivity against the dye described above. When thetransferable materials are those having no dye receptivity such aspapers, metals, glasses and synthetic resins, a dye-receptive layer maybe formed or at least one surface thereof.

Means for imparting a heat energy used in carrying out thermal transferusing the present thermal transfer sheet as described above and therecordable material as described above may be any of the prior knownmeans. For example, a required purpose can be achieved by imparting aheat energy of the order of from 5 to 100 mJ/mm² by controlling therecording time vic a recording device such as a thermal printer (e.g.,Video Printer VY-100 manufactured by Hitachi Seisakusho).

According to the thermal transfer sheet of the present invention, yellowimages can be formed. Full color images having excellent colorreproducibility can be provided by using the present thermal transfersheet having the yellow dye-containing layer in combination with athermal transfer sheet having a cyan dye-containing layer and a thermaltransfer sheet having a magenta dye-containing layer. Alternatively,full color images having excellent color reproducibility can be providedby a thermal transfer sheet having a layer formed by superficiallysuccessively applying a cyan dye, the yellow dye and a magenta dye.

Examples and Comparative Examples illustrate the present invention inmore detail. Parts and percentages herein are by weight unless otherwisespecified.

REFERENCE EXAMPLE 1

16.9 grams of N-ethyl-benz[cd]indol-2(1H) one, 6 grams of malonitrileand 19.4 grams of phosphorus oxychloride were added to 150 ml oftoluene. The resulting mixture was heated for 4 hours on a water bathwith stirring and the reaction mixture was poured 600 ml of methanol. Adeposited crystal was filtered off. The crude product was recrystallizedfrom a chloroform-methanol mixture to obtain a dye of No. 75 of dye 1-1.This dye was a yellow crystal having an absorption maximum wavelength of441 nm (methanol) and a melting point of 196°-197° C.

REFERENCE EXAMPLE 2

9.3 grams of a quaternary salt represented by the formula: ##STR22## and3.4 grams of ethyl cyanoacetate were added to 85 ml of acetonitrole. Tothe resulting mixture was added 5.3 ml of triethylamine, and theresulting mixture was heated for 1 hour under reflux. Thereafter, thesolvent was distilled off and methanol was added. A crystal obtained wasfiltered off. This crude product was purified by a column using a silicagel to obtain a dye of No. 1 shown in Table 2. This dye was a yellowcrystal having an absorption maximum wavelength of 454 nm (methylenechloride) and a melting point of 86°-87° C.

REFERENCE EXAMPLE 3

Dyes shown in Tables 1 through 5 described above were obtained as inReference Examples 1 and 2 except that starting materials correspondingto the dyes shown in Table 1 through 5.

EXAMPLES 1 THROUGH 261

An ink composition for forming a dye-containing layer having thefollowing composition was prepared. The ink composition was applied to apolyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 micrometers(wherein its back surface had been treated to provide heat resistance)so that the dry coating weight was 1.0 gram per square meter. The wholewas dried to obtain a thermal transfer sheet of the present invention.

    ______________________________________                                        Ink Composition                                                               ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (1) or (2)                                                                     "a"       parts                                           Dye of the formula (3) or (4)                                                                     "b"       parts                                           Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                           4.5       parts                                           Methyl ethyl ketone 45.75     parts                                           Toluene             45.75     parts                                           ______________________________________                                    

When the dyes in the composition described above were insoluble, asolvent such as DMF, dioxane or chloroform was suitably used. (The dyesused and their amounts ("a", "b") are shown in the following Table 9.)

Synthetic paper (Yupo FPG #150 manufactured by Oji Yuka) was used as abase sheet. A coating solution having the following composition wasapplied to the one surface of the base sheet so that its dry coatingweight was 10.0 grams per square meter. The whole was dried for 30minutes at 100° C. to obtain a transferable material.

Polyester resin (Vylon 200 11.5 parts manufactured by Toyobo)

Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer 5.0 parts (VYHH manufactured byU.C.C.)

Amino-modified silicone (KF-393 1.2 part manufactured by Shin-etsuKaguku Kogyo)

Epoxy-modified silicone (X-22-343 1.2 part manufactured by Shin-etsuKagaku Kogyo)

Methyl ethyl ketone/toluene/cyclohexanone 102.0 parts (weight ratio of4:4:2)

Thermal Transfer Recording Test

The present thermal transfer sheet described above and the transferablematerial described above were stacked with the dye-containing layeropposing to the dye-receptive surface. Recording was carried out bymeans of a thermal head from the back surface of the thermal transfersheet under a head application voltage of 11 V for an application timeof 16 msec. The results are shown in Table 9.

Light Fastness Test

A light fastness test of the yellow images obtained in the thermaltransfer test described above was carried out by means of a xenonfadeometer (Ci 35 A manufactured by Atlas) (the black panel temperaturebeing 50° C. and the illuminance being 50 kLux). In any case,discoloration and fading did not occur when the irradiation time wad 50hours.

Measurement of Color Density

The color density was measured by means of a densitometer RD-918manufactured by U.S. Macbeth Company.

                  TABLE 9                                                         ______________________________________                                        Dye            Dye                                                                 Formula  Amount   Formula                                                                              Amount Color Light                                   and      used     and    used   Den-  Fast-                              Ex.  Number   "a"      Number "b"    sity  ness                               ______________________________________                                         1   1-1-1    2.0      3-1    2.0    2.26  ◯                       2   1-1-2    2.0      3-1    2.0    2.18  ◯                       3   1-1-3    2.0      3-3    2.0    1.97  ◯                       4   1-1-4    2.5      3-5    1.5    1.89  ◯                       5   1-1-7    2.0      3-7    2.0    2.27  ◯                       6   1-1-11   3.0      3-9    1.0    2.36  ◯                       7   1-1-15   2.0      3-10   2.0    2.24  ◯                       8   1-1-18   2.0      3-11   2.0    2.15  ◯                       9   1-1-19   2.0      3-13   2.0    2.07  ◯                       10  1-1-22   2.0      3-13   2.0    1.97  ◯                       11  1-1-24   2.0      3-14   2.0    1.97  ◯                       12  1-1-27   2.0      3-16   2.0    1.88  ◯                       13  1-1-33   2.0      3-19   2.0    1.94  ◯                       14  1-1-35   1.5      3-20   1.5    1.97  ◯                       15  1-1-42   1.0      3-23   3.0    1.82  ◯                       16  1-1-44   2.0      3-26   2.0    1.99  ◯                       17  1-1-47   2.0      3-28   2.0    2.17  ◯                       18  1-1-49   2.0      3-29   2.0    2.27  ◯                       19  1-1-52   2.0      3-30   2.0    2.33  ◯                       20  1-1-55   2.0      3-33   2.0    2.31  ◯                       21  1-1-60   2.0      3-34   2.0    2.07  ◯                       22  1-1-63   2.0      3-35   2.0    2.05  ◯                       23  1-1-66   2.0      3-36   2.0    2.08  ◯                       24  1-1-70   2.5      3-36   2.0    2.14  ◯                       25  1-1-71   2.0      3-38   2.0    2.17  ◯                       26  1-1-75   3.0      3-39   2.0    2.23  ◯                       27  1-1-77   2.0      3-40   2.0    2.29  ◯                       28  1-2-1    2.0      3-44   2.0    2.33  ◯                       29  1-2-2    2.0      3-44   2.0    2.31  ◯                       30  1-2-6    1.5      3-44   2.5    2.40  ◯                       31  1-2-7    1.5      3-44   2.5    2.39  ◯                       32  1-2-9    2.5      3-44   1.5    2.32  ◯                       33  1-2-11   2.5      3-45   1.5    1.87  ◯                       34  1-2-12   2.5      3-45   1.5    1.97  ◯                       35  1-2-15   2.0      3-47   2.0    1.96  ◯                       36  1-2-17   2.0      3-48   2.0    2.17  ◯                       37  1-2-19   2.0      3-49   2.0    2.14  ◯                       38  1-2-22   2.0      3-50   2.0    2.17  ◯                       39  1-2-25   2.0      3-1    2.0    2.14  ◯                       40  1-2-26   2.0      3-6    2.0    2.27  ◯                       41  1-2-29   1.5      3-8    2.5    2.22  ◯                       42  1-2-33   2.0      3-10   2.0    2.33  ◯                       43  1-2-36   2.0      3-20   2.0    2.39  ◯                       44  1-2-40   2.0      3-22   2.0    2.41  ◯                       45  1-2-45   2.0      3-24   2.0    2.23  ◯                       46  1-2-46   2.0      3-25   2.0    2.25  ◯                       47  1-2-47   2.0      3-26   2.0    2.19  ◯                       48  1-2-49   2.0      3-29   2.0    2.17  ◯                       49  1-2-50   2.0      3-35   2.0    2.14  ◯                       50  1-2-51   2.0      3-36   2.0    2.07  ◯                       51  1-2-53   2.0      3-39   2.0    1.93  ◯                       52  1-2-54   2.5      3-41   1.5    1.84  ◯                       53  1-2-56   2.5      3-41   1.5    1.92  ◯                       54  1-2-58   2.0      3-48   2.0    1.95  ◯                       55  1-2-60   2.5      3-50   1.5    1.93  ◯                       56  1-2-63   2.5      3-51   1.5    1.91  ◯                       57  1-2-66   2.0      3-52   2.0    1.79  ◯                       58  1-2-68   2.0      3-55   2.0    1.84  ◯                       59  1-2-70   2.0      3-57   2.0    1.91  ◯                       60  1-2-74   2.0      3-59   2.0    1.90  ◯                       61  1-3-1    2.0      3-7    2.0    1.80  ◯                       62  1-3-5    2.0      3-15   2.0    1.83  ◯                       63  1-3-6    2.0      3-19   2.0    1.85  ◯                       64  1-3-9    2.0      3-23   2.0    1.77  ◯                       65  1-3-10   2.0      3-41   2.0    2.14  ◯                       66  1-3-13   2.0      3-44   2.0    2.10  ◯                       67  1-4-1    2.5      3-19   1.5    2.20  ◯                       68  1-4-2    2.5      3-27   1.5    2.23  ◯                       69  1-4-4    2.5      3-30   1.5    2.26  ◯                       70  1-4-8    2.0      3-31   2.0    2.28  ◯                       71  1-4-9    2.0      3-54   2.0    2.29  ◯                       72  1-4-11   2.0      3-55   2.0    2.14  ◯                       73  1-4-15   2.0      3-56   2.0    2.17  ◯                       74  1-4-17   2.0      3-56   2.0    2.19  ◯                       75  1-4-19   2.0      3-58   2.0    2.30  ◯                       76  1-4-21   2.0      3-59   2.0    2.32  ◯                       77  1-5-2    2.0      3-17   2.0    2.33  ◯                       78  1-5-3    2.0      3-19   2.0    2.17  ◯                       79  1-5-5    2.0      3-38   2.0    2.15  ◯                       80  1-5-6    2.0      3-57   2.0    2.14  ◯                       81  1-1-1    1.5      3-1    2.5    2.08  ◯                       82  1-1-2    1.5      3-1    2.5    2.00  ◯                       83  1-1-4    1.5      3-1    2.5    2.11  ◯                       84  1-1-5    1.5      3-3    2.5    2.17  ◯                       85  1-1-6    1.5      3-4    2.5    2.10  ◯                       86  1-1-7    2.0      3-6    2.0    2.19  ◯                       87  1-1-9    2.0      3-7    2.0    2.30  ◯                       88  1-1-10   2.0      3-7    2.0    2.44  ◯                       89  1-1-12   2.0      3-8    2.0    2.50  ◯                       90  1-1-14   2.0      3-9    2.0    2.10  ◯                       91  1-1-16   2.0      3-9    2.0    2.07  ◯                       92  1-1-19   2.0      3-11   2.0    2.18  ◯                       93  1-1-22   2.0      3-12   2.0    2.19  ◯                       94  1-1-25   2.0      3-14   2.0    2.30  ◯                       95  1-1-28   2.0      3-15   2.0    2.10  ◯                       96  1-1-32   2.5      3-16   1.5    2.07  ◯                       97  1-1-36   2.5      3-17   1.5    2.00  ◯                       98  1-1-39   2.5      3-19   1.5    1.99  ◯                       99  1-1-41   2.0      3-22   2.0    1.98  ◯                      100  1-1-44   2.0      3-24   2.0    1.97  ◯                      101  1-1-47   2.5      3-26   1.5    1.97  ◯                      102  1-1-49   2.5      3-29   1.5    1.99  ◯                      103  1-1-53   2.5      3-30   1.5    2.03  ◯                      104  1-1-57   2.5      3-31   1.5    2.05  ◯                      105  1-1-61   2.0      3-33   2.0    2.18  ◯                      106  1-1-64   2.0      3-33   2.0    2.16  ◯                      107  1-1-67   2.0      3-34   2.0    2.30  ◯                      108  1-1-68   2.0      3-36   2.0    2.12  ◯                      109  1-1-69   2.0      3-36   2.0    2.07  ◯                      110  1-1-72   2.0      3-37   2.0    2.40  ◯                      111  1-1-74   2.0      3-37   2.0    2.31  ◯                      112  1-2-2    2.0      3-1    2.0    2.33  ◯                      113  1-2-4    2.0      3-4    2.0    1.97  ◯                      114  1-2-7    2.0      3-7    2.0    1.76  ◯                      115  1-2-9    1.5      3-9    2.5    2.13  ◯                      116  1-2-14   1.5      3-13   2.5    2.17  ◯                      117  1-2-17   1.5      3-15   2.5    2.27  ◯                      118  1-2-20   2.0      3-17   2.0    2.21  ◯                      119  1-2-23   2.0      3-18   2.0    2.20  ◯                      120  1-2-27   2.0      3-22   2.0    2.10  ◯                      121  1-2-33   2.0      3-23   2.0    1.97  ◯                      122  1-2-38   2.0      3-25   2.0    1.99  ◯                      123  1-2-41   2.0      3-27   2.0    2.06  ◯                      124  1-2-47   2.0      3-27   2.0    2.14  ◯                      125  1-2-49   2.0      3-27   2.0    2.03  ◯                      126  1-2-54   2.0      3-28   2.0    2.07  ◯                      127  1-2-57   2.0      3-30   2.0    2.14  ◯                      128  1-2-60   2.0      3-30   2.0    2.15  ◯                      129  1-2-63   2.0      3-31   2.0    2.13  ◯                      130  1-2-65   2.0      3-32   2.0    2.18  ◯                      131  1-2-67   2.0      3-35   2.0    2.10  ◯                      132  1-2-70   2.0      3-35   2.0    2.30  ◯                      133  1-2-71   2.0      3-36   2.0    2.34  ◯                      134  1-2-74   2.0      3-36   2.0    2.36  ◯                      135  1-2-77   2.5      3-37   1.5    2.38  ◯                      136  1-3-1    2.0      3-4    2.0    2.29  ◯                      137  1-3-4    2.5      3-5    1.5    2.22  ◯                      138  1-3-6    2.5      3-6    1.5    2.24  ◯                      139  1-3-7    2.0      3-6    2.0    2.06  ◯                      140  1-3-8    2.0      3-7    2.0    1.89  ◯                      141  1-3-11   1.5      3-11   2.5    1.93  ◯                      142  1-4-2    1.5      3-27   2.5    1.91  ◯                      143  1-4-4    2.0      3-30   2.0    1.99  ◯                      144  1-4-5    2.0      3-34   2.0    2.01  ◯                      145  1-4-7    2.0      3-35   2.0    2.07  ◯                      146  1-4-9    2.0      3-36   2.0    2.18  ◯                      147  1-4-10   2.5      3-37   1.5    2.19  ◯                      148  1-5-1    2.0      3-11   2.0    2.26  ◯                      149  1-5-2    2.0      3-19   2.0    2.14  ◯                      150  1-5-4    2.0      3-31   2.0    2.13  ◯                      151  1-5-6    2.0      3-37   2.0    2.10  ◯                      152  1-1-1    2.0      4-1    2.0    1.87  ◯                      153  1-1-2    2.0      4-1    2.0    1.94  ◯                      154  1-1-4    2.0      4-2    2.0    1.93  ◯                      155  1-1-5    2.0      4-2    2.0    1.99  ◯                      156  1-1-7    1.5      4-3    2.0    2.03  ◯                      157  1-1-9    1.5      4-4    3.0    2.17  ◯                      158  1-1-10   2.0      4-5    2.0    2.00  ◯                      159  1-1-11   2.0      4-6    2.0    1.84  ◯                      160  1-1-12   2.5      4-7    2.0    1.97  ◯                      161  1-1-14   2.0      4-7    1.5    1.90  ◯                      162  1-1-16   2.0      4-8    2.0    1.88  ◯                      163  1-1-18   2.0      4-10   2.0    1.96  ◯                      164  1-1-19   2.0      4-10   2.0    1.98  ◯                      165  1-1-20   1.5      4-11   2.5    2.24  ◯                      166  1-1-21   2.5      4-12   2.0    1.96  ◯                      167  1-1-22   1.5      4-13   2.5    2.17  ◯                      168  1-1-23   2.0      4-13   2.0    1.93  ◯                      169  1-1-24   2.0      4-14   2.0    1.92  ◯                      170  1-1-26   2.0      4-15   2.0    1.86  ◯                      171  1-1-27   2.0      4-17   2.0    1.88  ◯                      172  1-1-28   2.0      4-17   2.0    1.88  ◯                      173  1-1-29   2.0      4-18   2.0    1.79  ◯                      174  1-1-30   2.0      4-18   2.0    1.77  ◯                      175  1-1-33   2.0      4-19   2.0    1.94  ◯                      176  1-1-35   2.0      4-19   2.0    1.95  ◯                      177  1-1-36   2.0      4-20   2.0    1.90  ◯                      178  1-1-37   2.0      4-20   2.0    1.98  ◯                      179  1-1-38   2.5      4-21   2.0    2.13  ◯                      180  1-1-39   2.0      4-22   2.0    2.06  ◯                      181  1-1-40   2.0      4-22   2.0    2.03  ◯                      182  1-1-44   2.0      4-23   2.0    2.01  ◯                      183  1-1-47   2.0      4-25   2.0    2.17  ◯                      184  1-1-48   2.0      4-27   2.0    1.86  ◯                      185  1-1-50   2.0      4-28   2.0    1.87  ◯                      186  1-1-54   2.0      4-29   2.0    1.84  ◯                      187  1-1-57   2.0      4-31   2.0    1.86  ◯                      188  1-1-58   1.5      4-31   2.5    2.24  ◯                      189  1-1-60   1.5      4-32   2.5    2.27  ◯                      190  1-1-63   1.5      4-32   2.0    2.11  ◯                      191  1-1-64   2.0      4-33   2.0    1.99  ◯                      192  1-1-65   2.0      4-34   2.0    1.99  ◯                      193  1-1-66   2.0      4-35   2.0    1.89  ◯                      194  1-1-68   2.0      4-36   2.0    1.92  ◯                      195  1-1-68   2.0      4-37   2.0    1.77  ◯                      196  1-1-73   2.0      4-2    2.0    1.98  ◯                      197  1-1-75   2.0      4-3    2.0    1.84  ◯                      198  1-1-77   2.0      4-6    2.0    1.92  ◯                      199  1-2-1    2.0      4-11   2.0    1.85  ◯                      200  1-2-3    2.0      4-15   2.0    1.94  ◯                      201  1-2-5    2.0      4-8    2.0    1.91  ◯                      202  1-2-7    2.0      4-7    2.0    1.93  ◯                      203  1-2-8    1.5      4-3    2.5    1.99  ◯                      204  1-2-9    1.5      4-9    2.5    2.07  ◯                      205  1-2-10   2.0      4-18   2.0    1.89  ◯                      206  1-2-11   2.0      4-19   2.0    2.03  ◯                      207  1-2-12   2.0      4-31   2.0    1.90  ◯                      208  1-2-13   2.0      4-1    2.0    2.07  ◯                      209  1-2-15   2.0      4-6    2.0    1.88  ◯                      210  1-2-17   2.0      4-9    2.0    2.11  ◯                      211  1-2-18   2.0      4-21   2.0    2.14  ◯                      212  1-2-20   2.0      4-23   2.0    2.16  ◯                      213  1-2-21   2.0      4-4    2.0    1.94  ◯                      214  1-2-24   2.0      4-8    2.0    2.17  ◯                      215  1-2-26   2.0      4-3    2.0    1.9   ◯                      216  1-2-30   2.0      4-11   2.0    1.89  ◯                      217  1-2-31   2.0      4-34   1.5    1.94  ◯                      218  1-2-32   2.0      4-37   1.5    1.88  ◯                      219  1-2-33   2.0      4-31   1.5    1.92  ◯                      220  1-2-35   2.0      4-27   1.5    1.97  ◯                      221  1-2-37   2.0      4-28   2.0    1.87  ◯                      222  1-2-40   2.0      4-29   2.0    1.87  ◯                      223  1-2-42   2.5      4-25   2.0    1.92  ◯                      224  1-2-43   2.0      4-17   2.0    1.90  ◯                      225  1-2-44   2.0      4-4    2.0    1.87  ◯                      226  1-2-50   2.5      4-8    2.0    1.90  ◯                      227  1-2-53   2.5      4-9    1.5    2.00  ◯                      228  1-2-58   2.5      4-16   1.5    1.93  ◯                      229  1-2-59   1.5      4-11   2.0    1.86  ◯                      230  1-2-60   1.5      4-27   2.5    2.10  ◯                      231  1-2-62   2.0      4-6    2.5    2.28  ◯                      232  1-2-63   2.0      4-7    2.0    1.87  ◯                      233  1-2-66   1.5      4-14   2.0    1.85  ◯                      234  1-2-67   1.5      4-17   2.0    1.88  ◯                      235  1-2-68   1.5      4-19   2.0    1.92  ◯                      236  1-2-70   2.0      4-33   1.5    1.87  ◯                      237  1-2-72   2.0      4-37   1.5    1.84  ◯                      238  1-2-73   2.0      4-31   2.0    1.95  ◯                      239  1-3-1    2.0      4-24   2.0    1.83  ◯                      240  1-3-2    2.0      4-28   2.0    1.90  ◯                      241  1-3-3    2.0      4-16   2.0    1.89  ◯                      242  1-3-5    2.0      4-17   2.0    1.90  ◯                      243  1-3-6    2.0      4-19   2.0    2.10  ◯                      244  1-3-8    2.0      4-4    2.0    1.94  ◯                      245  1-3-9    2.0      4-6    2.0    2.11  ◯                      246  1-3-11   1.5      4-9    2.5    1.98  ◯                      247  1-3-13   1.5      4-17   2.5    2.17  ◯                      248  1-3-14   2.0      4-19   2.0    1.99  ◯                      249  1-4-1    2.0      4-21   2.0    1.79  ◯                      250  1-4-2    2.5      4-24   2.0    1.97  ◯                      251  1-4-3    2.5      4-12   2.0    2.23  ◯                      252  1-4-5    2.5      4-12   1.5    1.80  ◯                      253  1-5-7    2.0      4-18   2.0    1.92  ◯                      254  1-5-8    2.0      4-27   2.0    1.87  ◯                      255  2-1      4.0      3-46   2.0    2.02  ◯                      256  2-1      2.0      4-28   4.0    2.25  ◯                      257  2-2      3.0      3-41   3.0    2.07  ◯                      258  2-3      4.0      4-34   2.0    1.98  ◯                      259  2-4      4.0      3-34   2.0    1.96  ◯                      260  2-5      4.0      4-36   2.0    2.10  ◯                      261  2-1      4.0      4-3    2.0    1.94  ◯                      ______________________________________                                    

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 1 THROUGH 20

Example 1 was repeated except that the following dyes were used in placeof the dye described in Example. The results are shown in Table 10.

    ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formulae 1 through 4                                                                       "a"    parts                                          Polyvinyl butyral resin 4.5    parts                                          Methyl ethyl ketone     46.25  parts                                          Toluene                 46.25  parts                                          ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 10                                                        ______________________________________                                               Dye                                                                             Formula                                                              Com.     and      Amount     Color  Light                                     Ex.      Number   used "a"   Density                                                                              Fastness                                  ______________________________________                                         1       1-1-1    4.0        1.79   ◯                              2       1-1-12   3.0        1.61   ◯                              3       1-1-23   2.5        1.53   ◯                              4       1-1-45   3.0        1.63   ◯                              5       1-2-11   3.0        1.54   ◯                              6       1-2-24   3.0        1.74   ◯                              7       1-2-45   3.0        1.65   ◯                              8       1-2-74   2.5        1.64   ◯                              9       1-4-3    2.0        1.74   ◯                             10       1-5-4    2.0        1.59   ◯                             11       1-6-2    3.0        1.71   ◯                             12       2-1      3.0        2.63   X                                         13       2-4      3.0        2.43   X                                         14       3-28     3.5        2.41   X                                         15       3-43     2.0        1.89   X                                         16       3-59     2.0        1.97   X                                         17       4-1      2.5        2.30   X                                         18       4-14     3.0        2.18   X                                         19       4-23     3.0        2.39   X                                         20       4-31     3.5        1.98   X                                         ______________________________________                                    

According to the present invention as described above, there can beprovided the thermal transfer sheets capable of providing full colorimages having excellent color density, clearness and fastnesses,particularly light fastness by using the mixture of the specific dyeseven if a heat energy is applied for an extremely short period of time.

A preferred embodiment of a magenta dye illustrates the presentinvention in more detail.

Anthraquinone dyes used in the present invention include dyesrepresented by the formulae (5) through (8) described above. These dyescan be used alone or in mixture.

Polymethine dyes used in the present invention include dyes representedby the formula (9) described above. These dyes can be used alone or inmixture.

The anthraquinone dyes and polymethine dyes suitable for use in thepresent invention are shown in the following Tables 11 through 15 byexpressing them by their substituents. These dyes per se are the dyesknown as disperse dyes or the like, and they are available in the marketto use in the present invention.

                  TABLE 11                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (5)                                                        No.   X          R.sub.1                                                      ______________________________________                                        5-1   --O--      phenyl                                                       5-2   --O--      3-hexylphenyl                                                5-3   --O--      4-(2-ethyl)-pentoxyphenyl                                    5-4   --O--      3-hydroxyphenyl                                              5-5   --O--      4-butoxycarbonylphenyl                                       5-6   --O--      4-hexanoylphenyl                                             5-7   --O--      3-bromophenyl                                                5-8   --O--      4-acetylaminophenyl                                          5-9   --O--      4-tosylphenyl                                                5-10  --O--      4-benzensulfonyloxyphenyl                                    5-11  --O--      4-nitrophenyl                                                5-12  --O--      4-ethylthiophenyl                                            5-13  --O--      4-isopropoxycarboxyphenyl                                    5-14  --O--      4-ethylaminocarboxyphenyl                                    5-15  --O--      3-ethoxycarbonylmethoxyphenyl                                5-16  --O--      4-(N-ethyl-N-propylamino)sulfonylphenyl                      5-17  --O--      3-cyanomethylphenyl                                          5-18  --O--      3-methoxycarbonylmethylphenyl                                5-19  --O--      3-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]phenyl                          5-20  --O--      4-(4-hydroxybutyl)phenyl                                     5-21  --O--      3-[2-(3-chlorophenyl)ethoxy]phenyl                           5-22  --O--      7-ethylnonanyl                                               5-23  --O--      5-hydroxypentyl                                              5-24  --O--      2-phenoxycarbonylethyl                                       5-25  --O--      4-methylcarboxybutyl                                         5-26  --O--      3-ethoxycarboxypropyl                                        5-27  --O--      cyclohexyl                                                   5-28  --O--      4-(4-hydroxybutyl)cyclohexyl                                 5-29  --S--      3-propylphenyl                                               5-30  --S--      3-(3-hydroxyhexyloxy)phenyl                                  5-31  --S--      4-pentoxycarbonylphenyl                                      5-32  --S--      3-propylcarboxyphenyl                                        5-33  --S--      4-dimethylaminosulfonylphenyl                                5-34  --S--      4-(2-methylcarboxyethyl)phenyl                               5-35  --S--      5-methoxypentyl                                              5-36  --S--      4-pentylcyclohexyl                                           5-37  --S--      2-(2-pentoxyethoxy)ethyl                                     5-38  --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                           phenyl                                                       5-39  --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                           3-butylphenyl                                                5-40  --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                           4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)phenyl                                    5-41  --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                           3-methoxycarbonylmethylphenyl                                5-42  --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                           3-methlcarboxyphenyl                                         5-43  --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                           3,4-dichlorophenyl                                           ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 12                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (6)                                                        No.          R.sub.3                                                          ______________________________________                                        6-1          6-methyloctyl                                                    6-2          3-isopropylcyclohexyl                                            6-3          2-cyclohexylethyl                                                6-4          2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethyl                                          6-5          hydroxyhexyl                                                     6-6          2-(4-ethylphenyl)ethyl                                           6-7          4-ethylcarboxybutyl                                              6-8          4-methoxycarboxybutyl                                            6-9          5-propoxycarbonylpentyl                                          6-10         2-methoxyethoxycarbonylmethyl                                    ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 13                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the formula (7)                                                        No. X     Y     R.sub.1     R.sub.2                                           __________________________________________________________________________    7-1 --O-- --O-- phenyl      phenyl                                            7-2 --O-- --O-- 3-propylphenyl                                                                            3-propylphenyl                                    7-3 --O-- --O-- 4-(4-hydroxybutyl)                                                                        4-(4-hydroxybutyl)                                                phenyl      phenyl                                            7-4 --O-- --O-- 3-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)                                                                    phenyl                                                            ethyl]phenyl                                                  7-5 --O-- --O-- 3,4-dichlorophenyl                                                                        phenyl                                            7-6 --O-- --O-- 3-(2-propylcarboxy)                                                                       3-(2-propylcarboxy)                                               ethylphenyl ethylphenyl                                       7-7 --O-- --O-- 3-(2-methoxycarboxy)                                                                      3-(2-methoxycarboxy)                                              ethylphenyl ethylphenyl                                       7-8 --O-- --O-- 3-(2-pentylcarbonyl)                                                                      phenyl                                                            ethylphenyl                                                   7-9 --O-- --O-- 3-(2-butoxycarbonyl)                                                                      phenyl                                                            ethylphenyl                                                   7-10                                                                              --O-- --O-- 4-(1-methylbutyl)                                                                         phenyl                                                            carboxyphenyl                                                 7-11                                                                              --O-- --O-- 4-hexoxyphenyl                                                                            4-hexoxyphenyl                                    7-12                                                                              --O-- --O-- 3-hydroxyphenyl                                                                           phenyl                                            7-13                                                                              --O-- --O-- 3-butylcarbonyphenyl                                                                      3-butylcarbonyphenyl                              7-14                                                                              --O-- --O-- 4-acetylaminophenyl                                                                       3-hexylphenyl                                     7-15                                                                              --O-- --O-- 3-nitrophenyl                                                                             phenyl                                            7-16                                                                              --O-- --O-- 2-(2-acetoxyethoxy)                                                                       phenyl                                                            ethyl                                                         7-17                                                                              --O-- --O-- 4-hydroxybutyl                                                                            ethylcarboxymethyl                                7-18                                                                              --O-- --O-- 4-methylcyclohexyl                                                                        3-methylbenzyl                                    7-19                                                                              --S-- --S-- 4-methylphenyl                                                                            4-methylphenyl                                    7-20                                                                              --S-- --S-- 3-(2-acetoxy)                                                                             3-chlorophenyl                                                    ethylphenyl                                                   7-21                                                                              --S-- --S-- cyclohexyl  m-toluyl                                          7-22                                                                              --S-- --S-- 2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)                                                                        2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)                                                ethyl       ethyl                                             7-23                                                                              --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      m-toluyl    phenyl                                            7-24                                                                              --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      4-ethoxyphenyl                                                                            2-hydroxyethyl                                    7-25                                                                              --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      4-pentylcyclohexyl                                                                        phenyl                                            7-26                                                                              --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      3-chlorophenyl                                                                            3-chlorophenyl                                    7-27                                                                              --O-- --S-- phenyl      phenyl                                            7-28                                                                              --O-- --S-- phenyl      2-(2-propoxyethoxy)                                               ethyl                                                         7-29                                                                              --O-- --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      m-toluyl    phenyl                                            7-30                                                                              --S-- --OSO.sub.2 --                                                                      3-chlorophenyl                                                                            phenyl                                            __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 14                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (8)                                                                No.  R.sub.4                                                          ______________________________________                                                8-1  --CN                                                                     8-2  --Br                                                                     8-3  --Cl                                                             ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 15                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the formula (9)                                                        No. R.sub.5  R.sub.6  R.sub.7  R.sub.8                                        __________________________________________________________________________    9-1 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --Ph     --NR.sub.9 R.sub.10                                                           (R.sub.9 = COCH.sub.3,                                                        R.sub.10 = COPh)                               9-2 --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --Ph     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                              9-3 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                   2-thienyl-                                                                             cyclohexyl                                     9-4 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --Ph     --C.sub.3 H.sub.7                              9-5 --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-theinyl-                                                                             --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                              9-6 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --Ph     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                    9-7 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-methoxyphenyl-                                                                       --C.sub.6 H.sub.13                             9-8 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-thienyl-                                                                             --C.sub.6 H.sub. 13                            9-9 --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --Ph     cyclohexyl                                     9-10                                                                              --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --Ph     --CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2                           __________________________________________________________________________

While the amounts of the anthraquinone and polymethine dyes as describedabove can vary depending upon the respective specific dyes selected,they are preferably used in a weight ratio of the anthraquinone dye tothe polymethine dye of from 5:95 to 95:5. If the proportion of theanthraquinone dye is larger, the color density will be reduced and colorreproducibility will be reduced. If the proportion of the anthraquinonedye is smaller, the light fastness will be reduced.

In order to adjust hue, known yellow dyes, magenta dyes or cyan dyes maybe mixed. The dyes used are as described above.

The thermal transfer sheet of the present invention is characterized inthat the specific dye mixture as described above is used. Otherconstitutions may be similar to those of the prior known thermaltransfer sheets.

Any prior known material may be used as the base sheet for use in thethermal transfer sheet of the present invention wherein the dye mixturedescribed above is used, provided that the material has a certainmeasure of heat resistance and strength. Examples of such materialsinclude materials having a thickness of the order of from 0.5 to 50micrometers, preferably from 3 to 10 micrometers such as papers, variousprocessed papers, polyester films, polystyrene films, polypropylenefilms, polysulfone films, polycarbonate films, aramid films, polyvinylalcohol films, cellophane and the like. A particularly preferredmaterial is a polyester film.

A dye-containing layer provided on the surface of the base sheet asdescribed above is a layer wherein the dye mixture described above issupported on the base sheet by an optional binder resin.

Any prior known binder resin can be used as the binder resin forsupporting the dye mixture described above. Examples of the preferredbinder resins include cellulosic resins such as ethyl cellulose,hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetatebutyrate; vinylic resins such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate,polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetoacetal, polyvinyl pyrrolidone,polyacrylamide and polystyrene; and the like. Of these, polyvinylbutyral and polyvinyl acetal are particularly preferred from thestandpoints of heat resistance and dye migration.

While the dye-containing layer of the thermal transfer sheet of thepresent invention is basically formed by the materials described above,it may include various additives similar to the prior known additives asneeded. Such as dye-containing layer is preferably formed by adding thedye mixture, the binder resin and optional components to a suitablesolvent to dissolve or disperse each component therein to prepare acoating solution or ink composition for forming the dye-containinglayer, applying the coating solution or ink composition to the basesheet described above and drying the whole. The dye-containing layerthus formed has a thickness of the order of from 0.2 to 5.0 micrometers,preferably from 0.4 to 2.0 micrometers. It is suitable that the dyemixture in the dye-containing layer be present in an amount of from 5%to 70% by weight, preferably from 10% to 60% by weight bared on theweight of the dye-containing layer. While the present thermal transfersheet as described above is sufficiently useful for thermal transfer asit is, the surface of the dye-containing layer may be provided with anantisticking layer, i.e., a release layer. Such a layer prevents thesticking between the thermal transfer sheet and the transferablematerial during the thermal transfer operation. Thus, higher thermaltransfer temperatures can be used, and images having an even moreexcellent density can be formed.

When an antisticking inorganic powder is merely deposited, the resultingrelease layer exerts a relatively high effect. Further, a release layerhaving a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 micrometers, preferably from 0.05 to2 micrometers can be formed from resins having excellent releasabilitysuch as silicone polymers, acrylic polymers and fluorinated polymers.

Even if the inorganic powder or releasing polymers as described aboveare included in the dye-containing layer, a sufficient effect can beobtained.

Further, the back surface of such a thermal transfer sheet may beprovided with a heat-resistant layer in order to prevent adverse effectdue to the heat of the thermal head.

Any transferable material may be used in forming images using thethermal transfer sheet as described above, provided that its recordingsurface has a dye receptivity against the dye described above. When thetransferable materials are those having no dye receptivity such aspapers, metals, glasses and synthetic resins, a dye-receptive layer maybe formed or at least one surface thereof.

Means for imparting a heat energy used in carrying out thermal transferusing the present thermal transfer sheet as described above and therecordable material as described above may be any of the prior knownmeans. For example, a required purpose can be achieved by imparting aheat energy of the order of from 5 to 100 mJ/mm² by controlling therecording time vic a recording device such as a thermal printer (e.g.,Video Printer VY-100 manufactured by Hitachi Seisakusho).

According to the thermal transfer sheet of the present invention,magenta images can be formed. Full color images having excellent colorreproducibility can be provided by using the present thermal transfersheet having the magenta dye-containing layer in combination with athermal transfer sheet having a yellow dye-containing layer and athermal transfer sheet having a cyan dye-containing layer.Alternatively, full color images having excellent color reproducibilitycan be provided by a thermal transfer sheet having a layer formed bysuperficially successively applying a yellow dye, the magenta dye and acyan dye.

EXAMPLES 262 THROUGH 293

An ink composition for forming a dye-containing layer having thefollowing composition was prepared. The ink composition was applied to apolyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 micrometers(wherein its back surface had been treated to provide heat resistance)so that the dry coating weight was 1.0 gram per square meter. The wholewas dried to obtain a thermal transfer sheet of the present invention.

    ______________________________________                                        Ink Composition                                                               ______________________________________                                        Anthraquinone dye "a"         parts                                           Polymethine dye   "b"         parts                                           Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                         4.5         parts                                           Methyl ethyl ketone                                                                             45.75       parts                                           Toluene           45.75       parts                                           ______________________________________                                    

When the dyes in the composition described above were insoluble, asolvent such as DMF, dioxane or chloroform was suitably used. (The dyesused and their amounts ("a", "b") are shown in the following Table 16.)For Examples 292 and 293, hue adjustment was carried out by mixing ayellow dye as described hereinafter.

Synthetic paper (Yupo FPG #150 manufactured by Oji Yuka) was used as abase sheet. A coating solution having the following composition wasapplied to the one surface of the base sheet so that its dry coatingweight was 10.0 grams per square meter. The whole was dried for 30minutes at 100° C. to obtain a transferable material.

Polyester resin (Vylon 200 11.5 parts manufactured by Toyobo)

Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer 5.0 parts (VYHH manufactured byU.C.C.)

Amino-modified silicone (KF-393 1.2 part manufactured by Shin-etsuKaguku Kogyo)

Epoxy-modified silicone (X-22-343 1.2 part manufactured by Shin-etsuKagaku Kogyo)

Methyl ethyl ketone/toluene/cyclohexanone 102.0 parts (weight ratio of4:4:2)

Thermal Transfer Recording Test

The present thermal transfer sheet described above and the transferablematerial described above were stacked with the dye-containing layeropposing to the dye-receptive surface. Recording was carried out bymeans of a thermal head from the back surface of the thermal transfersheet under a head application voltage of 11 V for an application timeof 16 msec. The results are shown in Table 16.

Color Reproducibility Test

A Yellow-color thermal transfer sheet was obtained as in Example 262except that an ink composition for forming a dye-containing layer havingthe following composition was used.

    ______________________________________                                        C.I. Disperse Yellow 141                                                                         3          parts                                           Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                          4.5        parts                                           Methyl ethyl ketone                                                                              46.25      parts                                           Toluene            46.25      parts                                           ______________________________________                                    

The Yellow-color thermal transfer sheet described above was used as inthe thermal transfer test described above to form a Yellow image. Thethermal transfer sheet of the present invention was used at the samesignal to superpose a magenta thereon. Thus, a red image was formed.

The resulting red image, and the magenta image of the thermal transfertest were visually observed to evaluate color reproducibility on thefollowing criteria. The results are shown in Table 16.

⊚: very clear

◯: clear

Δ: slightly unclear

x: unclear

Light Fastness Test

A light fastness test of the yellow images obtained in the thermaltransfer test described above was carried out by means of a xenonfadeometer (Ci 35 A manufactured by Atlas) (the black panel temperaturebeing 50° C. and the illuminance being 50 kLux). In any case,discoloration and fading did not occur when the irradiation time wad 50hours.

Measurement of Color Density

The color density was measured by means of a densitometer RD-918manufactured by U.S. Macbeth Company.

                                      TABLE 16                                    __________________________________________________________________________           Anthraquinone Dye                                                                            Polymethine Dye                                                Formula                                                                              Amount  Formula Amount                   Color                         and    used    and     used    Color    Light   Reproduci-             Ex.    Number "a"     Number  "b"     Density  Fastness                                                                              bility                 __________________________________________________________________________    262    5-1    2.0     9-1     2.0     1.87     ◯                                                                         ⊚       263    5-1    1.5     9-7     2.5     1.82     ◯                                                                         ⊚       264    5-2    1.5     9-1     2.5     1.91     ◯                                                                         ⊚       265    5-2    2.0     9-4     2.0     1.87     ◯                                                                         ◯          266    5-4    2.5     9-7     1.5     1.83     ◯                                                                         ⊚       267    5-5    3.0     9-8     1.0     1.78     ◯                                                                         ⊚       268    5-9    2.0     9-2     2.0     1.85     ◯                                                                         ⊚       269     5-12  1.0     9-4     3.0     1.94     ◯                                                                         ⊚       270     5-19  2.0     9-1     2.0     1.81     ◯                                                                         ⊚       271     5-23  2.0     9-6     2.0     1.78     ◯                                                                         ⊚       272     5-28  0.5      9-10   3.5     1.92     ◯                                                                         ⊚       273     5-29  2.0     9-2     2.0     1.81     ◯                                                                         ⊚       274     5-34  2.0     9-3     2.0     1.83     ◯                                                                         ⊚       275     5-36  3.5     9-4     0.5     1.71     ◯                                                                         ⊚       276      5-39 2.0     9-1     2.0     1.78     ◯                                                                         ⊚       277     5-42  1.5     9-2     2.5     1.86     ◯                                                                         ⊚       278    6-1    2.0     9-4     2.0     1.82     ◯                                                                         ⊚       279    6-4    2.0     9-4     2.0     1.78     ◯                                                                         ⊚       280    6-9    2.0      9-10   2.0     1.79     ◯                                                                         ⊚       281    7-1    2.0     9-3     2.0     1.80     ◯                                                                         ⊚       282    7-1    2.0     9-9     2.0     1.80     ◯                                                                         ⊚       283    7-4    2.0     9-1     2.0     1.78     ◯                                                                         ⊚       284    7-7    2.0     9-5     2.0     1.84     ◯                                                                         ⊚       285     7-17  2.0     9-8     2.0     1.83     ◯                                                                         ⊚       286     7-19  2.0     9-7     2.0     1.81     ◯                                                                         ⊚       287     7-21  2.0     9-2     2.0     1.79     ◯                                                                         ⊚       288     7-23  1.5     9-4     2.5     1.89     ◯                                                                         ⊚       289     7-25  1.5     9-6     2.5     1.91     ◯                                                                         ⊚       290    8-2    1.0     9-7     3.0     1.96     ◯                                                                         ⊚       __________________________________________________________________________    Anthraquinone Dye Polymethine Dye                                                                            Yellow Dye                                          Formula                                                                             Amount Formula                                                                             Amount       Amount             Color                      and   used   and   used   Dye   used  Color  Light Reproduci-            Ex.  Number                                                                              "a"    Number                                                                              "b"    Number                                                                              "c"   Density                                                                              Fastness                                                                            bility                __________________________________________________________________________    291  7-1   1.0    9-1   2.0    --    --    1.84   ◯                                                                       ⊚           5-1   1.0                                                                291-1                                                                              7-1   0.5    9-1   3.0    --    --    1.93   ◯                                                                       ⊚           5-1   0.4                                                                292  7-1   1.0    9-1   2.0    I     0.3   1.82   ◯                                                                       ⊚           5-1   1.0                                                                293  7-1   1.5    9-1   1.0    II    0.3   1.78   ◯                                                                       ⊚           5-1   0.5                                                                293-1                                                                              7-1   2.5    9-1   1.5    I     0.3   1.80   ◯                                                                       ⊚      293-2                                                                              7-1   2.0    9-1   2.0    II    0.2   1.83   ◯                                                                       ⊚      __________________________________________________________________________    Yellow Dye                                                                     ##STR23##                                                                                                     ##STR24##                                    I                               II                                            Foron Brilliant Yellow S-6GL    Terasil Golden Yellow 2RS                     (C.I. Disperse Yellow 201 manufactured                                                                        (C.I. Disperse Orange 149 manufactured        by Sand Company)                by Ciba-Geigy Corporation)                    __________________________________________________________________________

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 21 THROUGH 35

Example 262 was repeated except that the following dyes were used inplace of the dye in Example. The results are shown in Table 17.

    ______________________________________                                        Dye of the following Table 17                                                                         "a"    parts                                          Polyvinyl butyral resin 4.5    parts                                          Methyl ethyl ketone     46.25  parts                                          Toluene                 46.25  parts                                          ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 17                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye                                                                                 Formula                           Color                                 Com.  and      Amount    Color  Light   Reprodu-                              Ex.   Number   used "a"  Density                                                                              Fastness                                                                              cibility                              ______________________________________                                        21    5-1      4.0       1.60   ◯                                                                         Δ                               22    5-2      4.0       1.58   ◯                                                                         Δ                               23     5-12    4.0       1.57   ◯                                                                         Δ                               24     5-36    4.0       1.61   ◯                                                                         Δ                               25    6-1      4.0       1.55   ◯                                                                         X                                     26    6-4      4.0       1.58   ◯                                                                         Δ                               27    7-1      4.0       1.60   ◯                                                                         X                                     28    7-7      4.0       1.57   ◯                                                                         X                                     29    8-1      4.0       1.59   ◯                                                                         Δ                               30    9-1      4.0       1.87   X       ⊚                      31    9-2      4.0       1.80   X       ⊚                      32    9-3      4.0       1.78   X       ⊚                      33    9-5      4.0       1.86   X       ⊚                      34    9-7      4.0       1.92   ⊚                              35    9-9      4.0       1.88   X       ⊚                      ______________________________________                                    

According to the present invention as described above, there can beprovided the thermal transfer sheets which provide full color imageshaving excellent color density, clearness and fastnesses, particularlylight fastness by using the mixture of the specific dyes in spite of thehigh saturation of the magenta color.

A preferred embodiment of a cyan dye illustrates the present inventionin more detail.

Dyes represented by the above formulae (10) through (14) used in thepresent invention can be used alone or in mixture. Dyes represented bythe above formulae (15) and (16) used in the present invention can beused alone or in mixture.

Dyes of the formulae (10) through (16) suitable for use in the presentinvention are shown in Tables 18 through (24) by expressing them bytheir substituents. The substituents which are not described thereinrefer to a hydrogen atom. These dyes per se are dyes known as dispersedyes or the like, and they are available in the market to use in thepresent invention.

                  TABLE 18                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (10)                                                       No     R.sub.1        R.sub.2                                                 ______________________________________                                        1      hydrogen arom- 3-methylphenyl                                          2      methyl-        4-methylphenyl-                                         3      isopropyl-     4-butylphenyl-                                          4      2-(2-methoxyethoxy)                                                                          4-methoxyphenyl-                                               ethoxyphenyl-                                                          5      4-hydroxybutyl-                                                                              3-methylphenyl                                          6      isopropyl-     4-(3-hydroxypropyl)phenyl-                              7      methyl-        isopropyl-                                              8      isopropyl-     1,4-dimethylphenyl-                                     ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 19                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (11)                                                       No              R.sub.1                                                       ______________________________________                                        1               --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OCH.sub.3                                   2               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5           3               3-ethylhexyl-                                                 4               cyclohexyl-                                                   5               3-isopropylhexyl-                                             6               2-(3-ethylphenyl)ethyl-                                       ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 20                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (12)                                                       No     R.sub.1          R.sub.2                                               ______________________________________                                        1      3,4-dimethylphenyl-                                                                            3,4-dimethylphenyl-                                   2      3-isopropylphenyl-                                                                             4-butylphenyl-                                        3      3,4-dimethylphenyl-                                                                            2-ethoxycyclohexyl-                                   4      phenyl-          2-(3-methylphenyl)ethyl-                              5      3-methoxyphenyl- 3-ethyhexyl-                                          6      3-ethoxypropyl-  1,5-dimethylhexyl-                                    7      2-methylpropyl-  2-methylcyclohexyl-                                   8      2-(benzyl)cyclohexyl-                                                                          benzyl-                                               ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 21                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (13)                                                       No   R.sub.1           R.sub.2                                                ______________________________________                                        1    3,4-diemthylphenyl-                                                                             3,4-dimethylphenyl-                                    2    3-isopropylphenyl-                                                                              phenyl-                                                3    3,4-dimethylphenyl-                                                                             2-ethoxycyclohexyl-                                    4    3-methoxyphenyl-  2-(3-methylphenyl)ethyl-                               5    3-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)                                                                          4-(4-hydroxybutyl)phenyl-                                   ethoxy]phenyl-                                                           6    3-(2-ethoxyethoxy)propyl-                                                                       1,5-dimethylcyclohexyl-                                7    2-methylpropyl-   2-methylcyclohexyl-                                    8    2-isopropylcyclohexyl-                                                                          benzyl-                                                ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 22                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (14)                                                       No       R.sub.1        R.sub.2                                               ______________________________________                                        1        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                           --C.sub.3 H.sub.7                                     2        --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 Ph                                  3        --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                                         --C.sub.3 H.sub.7                                     4        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3          5        --CH.sub.3     --C.sub.6 H.sub.12 OH                                 6        --C.sub.3 H.sub.6 OH                                                                         cyclohexyl-                                           7        allyl-         --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                           8        3-methylphenyl-                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                           9        3-methylphenyl-                                                                              cyclohexyl-                                           ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 23                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the formula (15)                                                       No                                                                              R.sub.12    R.sub.13 R.sub.3   R.sub.4                                      __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --H       --H                                           2                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --H                                           3                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                    4                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --H       --NHCOC.sub.3 H.sub.7                         5                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                                6                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                         7                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                         8                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --NHCOCH.sub.3                                9                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                        10                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               11                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                        12                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               13                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               14                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               15                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               16                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOPh                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               17                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOOCH.sub.3                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               18                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOOPh                                                                  --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               19                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               20                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               21                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               22                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               23                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               24                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.2 Ph                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               25                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.2 Ph                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               26                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O-cyclohexyl                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               27                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OPh                                                                     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               28                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OPh                                                                     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               29                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --Cl                                         30                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --H       --Cl                                         31                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --Cl                                         32                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                   --Cl                                         33                                                                              -- C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --CONHCH.sub.3                               34                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --CONHCH.sub.3                               35                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --CONHCH.sub.3                               36                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCON(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               37                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCONHCH.sub.3                                                                        --CONHCH.sub.3                               38                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --CONHCH.sub.3                               39                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOOCH.sub.3                                                                         --CONHCH.sub.3                               40                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.2 Ph                                                                       --CONHCH.sub.3                               41                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOPh  --CONHCH.sub.3                               42                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHSO.sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                            --CONHCH.sub.3                               43                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHSO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                 --CONHCH.sub.3                               44                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub. 5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --CONHCOCH.sub.3                                                                        --CONHCH.sub.3                               45                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               46                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 X═NHCOCH.sub.3                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               47                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 X═CN                                                                --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               48                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 X═--NHCOCH.sub.3                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               49                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCH.sub.3                                 50                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --N(CH.sub.3).sub.3                          51                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                   52                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                   --N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                   53                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --OH                                         54                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --NHCOCH.sub.3                               55                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         -- C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     2-OH      --CONHCH.sub.3                               56                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --NHCOPh                                     57                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --CONHPh                                     58                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --CONH-cyclohexyl                            59                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --CONHCH.sub.2 Ph                            60                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-OH      --CONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                        61                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OCH.sub.3                                                                             --CONHCH.sub.3                               62                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OCH.sub.3                                                                             --NHCOPh                                     63                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OCH.sub.3                                                                             --CONHPh                                     64                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OCH.sub.3                                                                             --NHCOCH.sub.3                               65                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-Cl      --Cl                                         66                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-Cl      --CONHCH.sub.3                               67                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 R.sub.9 ═2-CH.sub.3                                                 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               68                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 R.sub.9 ═--NH.sub.3                                                 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               69                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 R.sub.9 ═NHCH.sub.3                                                 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               70                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 R.sub.9 ═--OH                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               71                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (3)                           72                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           73                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-furyl (2)                             74                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --COOCH.sub.3                                75                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.2 -thienyl (2)                  76                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.2 -thienyl (3)                  77                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-thienyl (3)                           78                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-thienyl (2)                           79                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub. 5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.2 -thienyl (2)                  80                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           81                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           82                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           83                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           84                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           85                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-thienyl (2)                           86                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONH-thienyl (2)                           87                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONH-thienyl (2)                           88                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3 X═CN                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONH-thienyl (2)                           89                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               90                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               91                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOCH.sub.3                                                          2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               92                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHNHCH.sub.3                             93                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-piperidyl (1)                         94                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-morpholyl (1)                         95                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONH-bicyclo[2,2,1]-                                                        hepto-2-yl                                   96                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              2-NHCO-bicyclo[2,2,1]-                                                        hepto-2-yl                                   97                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONH-piperidyl (1)                         98                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --CONH-morpholyl (1)                         99                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONH-pyrrolidolyl (1)                      100                                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CO-pyrrolidol (1)                          101                                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CO-pyrrolidol (1)                          102                                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CONHCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               103                                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                   --CONHCH.sub.3                               104                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               105                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               106                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               107                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               108                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                             2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHPh                                     109                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --H      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHPh                                     110                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --CONHPh                                     111                                                                             X and (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --NHCOPh                                     112                                                                             R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form (--C.sub.5 H.sub.10 --)                                                 2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               113                                                                             R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form (--C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 --)                                 2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3                               114                                                                             R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form (--C.sub.5 H.sub.10 --)                                                 2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3                               115                                                                             R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form (--C.sub.5 H.sub.10 --)                                                 2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHPh                                     116                                                                             R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form (--C.sub.4 H.sub.8 --)                                                  2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHPh                                     __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 24                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the formula (16)                                                       No                                                                              R.sub.12   R.sub.13 R.sub.3   R.sub.4        R.sub.6 R.sub.7                __________________________________________________________________________     1                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --H       --NHCOCH.sub.3 --H     --H                     2                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --H                     3                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --NHCOPh       --H     --Cl                    4                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --NHCO-cyclohexyl                                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                    5                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                    6                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                                     --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                    7                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                    8                                                                              -- C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                    9                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOOPh                                                                 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   10                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OPh                                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   11                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.2 Ph                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   12                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   13                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOCH.sub.3                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   14                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --H       --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   15                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   16                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCNHCH.sub.3                                                                            --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   17                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   18                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   19                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   20                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --N(CH.sub.3).sub.2                                                                   --Cl                   21                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                                                            --Cl                   22                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                        --Cl                   23                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --NHCOC.sub.6 H.sub.13                                                                       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   24                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                   --NHCOCH.sub.3 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                   25                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                              -- C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     2-OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --NHCOCH.sub.3 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                   26                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOPh       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   27                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --NHCOPh       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   28                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                   29                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCONHCH.sub.3                                                                        --N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                   30                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --Cl           --H     --CH.sub.3             31                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --OH           --OH    --H                    32                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-COOCH.sub.3                                                                           --H            --H     --H                    33                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --H      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   34                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --H     --H                    35                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --H                    36                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   37                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-OH      --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   38                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCONHC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                 --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   39                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   40                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                   --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   41                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --CONHCH.sub.3 --NHCH.sub.3                                                                          --Cl                   42                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --N(CH.sub.3).sub.2                                                                   --Cl                   43                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        -- C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                        --Cl                   44                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --NHPh  --Cl                   45                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --NHPh  --H                    46                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                                                            --H                    47                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                        --Cl                   48                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   49                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                   50                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                        --H     --CH.sub.3             51                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                   --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                        --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                    --H                    52                                                                              -- C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   53                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.2 Ph                                                                            --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   54                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-NHCOPh  --NHCOCH.sub.2 Ph                                                                            --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   55                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   56                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOOCH.sub.2 Ph                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   57                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --CH.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                    --CH.sub.3             58                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCSOC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   59                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-thienyl (2)                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   60                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-thienyl (3)                                                                           -- CH.sub.3                                                                           --Cl                   61                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.2 -thienyl                                                                      --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   62                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.2 -thienyl                                                                      --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   63                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-furyl (2)                                                                             --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   64                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO--Ph--OCH.sub.3 (4)                                                                    --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   65                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO--Ph-cyclohexyl (4)                                                                    --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   66                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-pyrrolyl (1)                                                                          --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   67                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCO-morpholyl (1)                                                                         --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   68                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOpyrrolidonyl (1)                                                                       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   69                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOcyclopropane                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                            -- Cl                  70                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --Cl    --Cl                   71                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --Cl    --CH.sub.3             72                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --NHCOCH.sub.3         73                                                                              --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                        --CH.sub.3                                                                            --NHCOCH.sub.3         74                                                                              R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form a ring (--C.sub.5 H.sub.10 --)                                         2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOPh       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   75                                                                              R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form a ring                                                                 2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOPh       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.2 H.sub.4 --O--C.sub.2 H.sub.4 --)                                 76                                                                              R.sub.12 and R.sub.13 form a ring (--C.sub.4 H.sub.8 --)                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                   77                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --H      --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      78                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --H     --H                      (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      79                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --H                      (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      80                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --H      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      81                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOPh       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      82                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHCOPh       --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      83                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                                                            4-CH.sub.3                                                                              --NHSO.sub.2 CH.sub.3                                                                        --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      84                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                                                                   2-OH      --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      85                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                   2-NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                          --NHCOCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      86                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               2-CH.sub.3                                                                             2-OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --NHCOOCH.sub.3                                                                              --N(C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      87                                                                              X and R.sub.12 form a ring                                                               --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-CH.sub.3                                                                              --CONHCH.sub.3 --CH.sub.3                                                                            --Cl                     (--C.sub.3 H.sub.6 --)                                                      __________________________________________________________________________

While the amounts of the anthraquinone dyes and the dyes of the formulae(15) and (16) as described above can vary depending upon the respectivespecific dyes selected, they are preferably used in a weight ratio ofthe anthraquinone dye to the dye of the formulae (15) and (16) of from10:90 to 90:10. If the proportion of the anthraquinone dye is larger,the color density will be reduced. If the proportion of theanthraquinone dye is smaller, the light fastness will reduced.

In order to adjust hue, the known yellow dyes, magenta dyes or cyan dyesmay be mixed. The dyes used are as described above.

The thermal transfer sheet of the present invention is characterized inthat the specific dye mixture as described above is used. Otherconstitutions may be similar to those of the known thermal transfersheets.

Any prior known material may be used as the base sheet for use in thethermal transfer sheet of the present invention wherein the dye mixturedescribed above is used, provided that the material has a certainmeasure of heat resistance and strength. Examples of such materialsinclude materials having a thickness of the order of from 0.5 to 50micrometers, preferably from 3 to 10 micrometers such as papers, variousprocessed papers, polymers films, polystyrene films, polypropylenefilms, polysulfone films, polycarbonate films, aramid films, polyvinylalcohol films, cellophane and the like. A particularly preferredmaterial is a polyester film.

A dye-containing layer provided on the surface of the base sheet asdescribed above is a layer wherein the dye mixture described above issupported on the base sheet by an optional binder resin.

Any prior known binder resin can be used as the binder resin forsupporting the dye mixture described above. Examples of the preferredbinder resins include cellulosic resins such as ethyl cellulose,hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetatebutyrate; vinylic resins such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate,polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetoacetal, polyvinyl pyrrolidone,polyacrylamide and polystyrene; and the like. Of these, polyvinylbutyral and polyvinyl acetal, ethyl cellulose and ethyl hydroxethylcellulose are particularly preferred from the standpoints of heatresistance and dye migration.

While the dye-containing layer of the thermal transfer sheet of thepresent invention is basically formed by the materials described above,it may include various additives similar to the prior known additives asneeded. Such as dye-containing layer is preferably formed by adding thedye mixture, the binder resin and optional components to a suitablesolvent to dissolve or disperse each component therein to prepare acoating solution or ink composition for forming the dye-containinglayer, applying the coating solution or ink composition to the basesheet described above and drying the whole. The dye-containing layerthus formed has a thickness of the order of from 0.2 to 5.0 micrometers,preferably from 0.4 to 2.0 micrometers. It is suitable that the dyemixture in the dye-containing layer be present in an amount of from 5%to 70% by weight, preferably from 10% to 60% by weight bared on theweight of the dye-containing layer.

While the present thermal transfer sheet as described above issufficiently useful for thermal transfer as it is, the surface of thedye-containing layer may be provided with an antisticking layer, i.e., arelease layer. Such a layer prevents the sticking between the thermaltransfer sheet and the transferable material during the thermal transferoperation. Thus, higher thermal transfer temperatures can be used, andimages having an even more excellent density can be formed.

When an antisticking inorganic powder is merely deposited, the resultingrelease layer exerts a relatively high effect. Further, a release layerhaving a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 micrometers, preferably from 0.05 to2 micrometers can be formed from resins having excellent releasabilitysuch as silicone polymers, acrylic polymers and fluorinated polymers.Even if the inorganic powder or releasing polymers as described aboveare included in the dye-containing layer, a sufficient effect can beobtained.

Further, the back surface of such a thermal transfer sheet may beprovided with a heat-resistant layer in order to prevent adverse effectdue to the heat of the thermal head.

Any transferable material may be used in forming images using thethermal transfer sheet as described above, provided that its recordingsurface has a dye receptivity against the dye described above. When thetransferable materials are those having no dye receptivity such aspapers, metals, glasses and synthetic resins, a dye-receptive layer maybe formed or at least one surface thereof.

Means for imparting a heat energy used in carrying out thermal transferusing the present thermal transfer sheet as described above and therecordable material as described above may be any of the prior knownmeans. For example, a required purpose can be achieved by imparting aheat energy of the order of from 5 to 100 mJ/mm² by controlling therecording time vic a recording device such as a thermal printer (e.g.,Video Printer VY-100 manufactured by Hitachi Seisakusho).

According to the thermal transfer sheet of the present invention, cyanimages can be formed. Full color images having excellent colorreproducibility can be provided by using the cyan dye-containing layerin combination with a thermal transfer sheet having a yellowdye-containing layer and a thermal transfer sheet having a magentadye-containing layer. Alternatively, full color images having excellentcolor reproducibility can be provided by a thermal transfer sheet havinga layer formed by superficially successively applying a yellow dye, thecyan dye and a magenta dye.

EXAMPLES 294 THROUGH 373

An ink composition for forming a dye-containing layer having thefollowing composition was prepared. The ink composition was applied to apolyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 micrometers(wherein its back surface had been treated to provide heat resistance)so that the dry coating weight was 1.0 gram per square meter. The wholewas dried to obtain a thermal transfer sheet of the present invention.

    ______________________________________                                        Ink Composition                                                               ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formulae (10) through (14)                                                               "a"       parts                                         Dye of the formula (15) through (16)                                                                "b"       parts                                         Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                             4.5       parts                                         Methyl ethyl ketone   45.75     parts                                         Toluene               45.75     parts                                         ______________________________________                                    

When the dyes in the composition described above were insoluble, asolvent such as DMF, dioxane or chloroform was suitably used. (The dyesused and their amounts ("a", "b") are shown in the following Table 25.)

Synthetic paper (Yupo FPG #150 manufactured by Oji Yuka) was used as abase sheet. A coating solution having the following composition wasapplied to the one surface of the base sheet so that its dry coatingweight was 10.0 grams per square meter. The whole was dried for 30minutes at 100° C. to obtain a transferable material.

Polyester resin (Vylon 200 11.5 parts manufactured by Toyobo)

Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer 5.0 parts (VYHH manufactured byU.C.C.)

Amino-modified silicone (KF-393 1.2 part manufactured by Shin-etsuKaguku Kogyo)

Epoxy-modified silicone (X-22-343 1.2 part manufactured by Shin-etsuKagaku Kogyo)

Methyl ethyl ketone/toluene/cyclohexanone 102.0 parts (weight ratio of4:4:2)

Thermal Transfer Recording Test

The present thermal transfer sheet described above and the transferablematerial described above were stacked with the dye-containing layeropposing to the dye-receptive surface. Recording was carried out bymeans of a thermal head from the back surface of the thermal transfersheet under a head application voltage of 11 V for an application timeof 16 msec. The results are shown in Table 25.

Light Fastness Test

A light fastness test of the cyan images obtained in the thermaltransfer test described above was carried out by means of a xenonfadeometer (Ci 35 A manufactured by Atlas) (the black panel temperaturebeing 50° C. and the illuminance being 50 kLux). In any case,discoloration and fading did not occur when the irradiation time wad 50hours.

Measurement of Color Density

The color density was measured by means of a densitometer RD-918manufactured by U.S. Macbeth Company.

                  TABLE 25                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of Formulae                                                                              Dye of Formulae                                                (10) through (14)                                                                            (15) and (16)                                                       Formula  Amount   Formula                                                                              Amount Color Light                                   and      used     and    used   Den-  Fast-                              Ex.  Number   "a"      Number "b"    sity  ness                               ______________________________________                                        294  10-1     2.0      15-4   2.0    1.80  ◯                      295  10-1     2.0      15-7   2.0    1.81  ◯                      296  10-2     2.0      15-9   2.0    1.82  ◯                      297  10-3     2.0      15-16  2.0    1.78  ◯                      298  10-4     2.0      15-17  2.0    1.77  ◯                      299  10-5     1.5      15-47  2.5    1.74  ◯                      300  10-6     2.5      15-71  1.5    1.80  ◯                      301  10-7     2.0      15-90  2.0    1.72  ◯                      302  10-8     2.0      15-97  2.0    1.73  ◯                      303  10-1     2.0       15-108                                                                              2.0    1.81  ◯                      304  10-3     2.0      16-5   2.0    1.82  ◯                      305  10-4     1.0      16-9   3.0    1.76  ◯                      306  10-6     2.0      16-15  2.0    1.84  ◯                      307  10-7     2.0      16-16  2.0    1.77  ◯                      308  10-8     2.0      16-18  2.0    1.72  ◯                      309  10-9     2.0      16-20  2.0    1.73  ◯                      310  10-3     2.0      16-45  2.0    1.76  ◯                      311  10-4     2.0      16-52  2.0    1.78  ◯                      312  10-6     2.0      16-60  2.0    1.81  ◯                      313  10-8     2.0      16-79  2.0    1.72  ◯                      314  11-1     2.0      15-5   2.0    1.78  ◯                      315  11-2     2.0      15-13  2.0    1.73  ◯                      316  11-4     2.0      15-18  2.0    1.77  ◯                      317  11-5     2.0      15-22  2.0    1.81  ◯                      318  11-1     2.0      15-39  2.0    1.76  ◯                      319  11-3     1.5      15-61  1.5    1.79  ◯                      320  11-6     2.0       15-101                                                                              2.0    1.74  ◯                      321  11-1     2.0      16-6   2.0    1.76  ◯                      322  11-1     2.0      16-9   2.0    1.82  ◯                      323  11-6     2.0      16-21  2.0    1.81  ◯                      324  11-5     2.0      16-26  2.0    1.78  ◯                      325  11-1     2.0      16-37  2.0    1.77  ◯                      326  11-3     2.0      16-47  2.0    1.82  ◯                      327  11-4     2.0      16-61  2.0    1.79  ◯                      328  11-5     2.0      16-72  2.0    1.83  ◯                      329  11-6     2.5      16-82  1.5    1.76  ◯                      330  12-1     2.0      15-17  2.0    1.80  ◯                      331  12-2     2.0      15-47  2.0    1.82  ◯                      332  12-4     2.0      15-64  2.0    1.85  ◯                      333  12-5     2.0      15-70  2.0    1.80  ◯                      334  12-7     3.0      15-71  1.0    1.75  ◯                      335  12-8     2.0      15-80  2.0    1.81  ◯                      336  12-1     2.0      15-91  2.0    1.77  ◯                      337  12-3     2.0       15-101                                                                              2.0    1.76  ◯                      338  12-4     1.5      16-4   2.5    1.78  ◯                      339  12-6     2.0      16-15  2.0    1.82  ◯                      340  12-7     2.0      16-26  2.0    1.74  ◯                      341  12-8     2.0      16-56  2.0    1.73  ◯                      342  12-1     2.0      16-66  2.0    1.72  ◯                      343  12-4     2.5      16-75  1.5    1.76  ◯                      344  12-5     2.0      16-82  2.0    1.75  ◯                      345  13-2     2.0      15-13  2.0    1.80  ◯                      346  13-3     2.0      15-18  2.0    1.82  ◯                      347  13-4     2.0      15-26  2.0    1.81  ◯                      348  13-5     2.0      15-63  2.0    1.83  ◯                      349  13-7     2.0      15-68  2.0    1.78  ◯                      350  13-8     2.5      15-77  1.5    1.77  ◯                      351  13-1     2.0       15-107                                                                              2.0    1.76  ◯                      352  13-3     2.0      16-11  2.0    1.74  ◯                      353  13-4     2.0      16-21  2.0    1.75  ◯                      354  13-6     3.0      16-46  1.0    1.72  ◯                      355  13-7     2.0      16-50  2.0    1.71  ◯                      356  13-1     2.0      16-57  2.0    1.80  ◯                      357  13-2     2.0      16-63  2.0    1.78  ◯                      358  13-5     2.0      16-75  2.0    1.79  ◯                      359  13-8     1.0      16-86  2.0    1.75  ◯                      360  14-1     2.0      15-13  2.0    1.74  ◯                      361  14-2     2.0      15-27  2.0    1.73  ◯                      362  14-4     2.0      15-47  2.0    1.72  ◯                      363  14-6     2.0      15-64  2.0    1.76  ◯                      364  14-8     2.5      15-67  1.5    1.74  ◯                      365  14-9     2.0      15-77  2.0    1.76  ◯                      366  14-1     2.0      15-94  2.0    1.77  ◯                      367  14-3     2.5       15-106                                                                              1.5    1.73  ◯                      368  14-7     2.0      16-15  2.0    1.71  ◯                      369  14-9     2.0      16-43  2.0    1.76  ◯                      370  14-2     2.0      16-56  2.0    1.74  ◯                      371  14-4     1.5      16-65  2.5    1.80  ◯                      372  14-6     2.0      16-72  2.0    1.79  ◯                      373  14-8     2.0      16-79  2.0    1.78  ◯                      ______________________________________                                    

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES 36 THROUGH 50

Example 294 was repeated except that the following dyes were used inplace of the dye in Example. The results are shown in Table 26.

    ______________________________________                                        Dyes of the formulae (10) through (16)                                                                 "a"    parts                                         Polyvinyl butyral resin  4.5    parts                                         Methyl ethyl ketone      46.25  parts                                         Toluene                  46.25  parts                                         ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 26                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye                                                                           Com.   Formula and Amount    Color   Light                                    Ex.    Number      used "a"  Density Fastness                                 ______________________________________                                        36     10-1        4.0       1.58    ◯                            37     10-6        4.0       1.52    ◯                            38     11-2        4.0       1.10    ◯                            39     12-4        4.0       1.23    ◯                            40     12-8        4.0       1.31    ◯                            41     13-1        4.0       1.26    ◯                            42     14-8        4.0       1.60    ◯                            43     15-4        4.0       1.77    X                                        44     15-15       4.0       1.72    X                                        45     15-58       4.0       1.78    X                                        46     15-111      4.0       1.76    X                                        47     16-1        4.0       1.82    X                                        48     16-25       4.0       1.78    X                                        49     16-37       4.0       1.81    X                                        50     16-86       4.0       1.80    X                                        ______________________________________                                    

According to the present invention as described above, there can beprovided the thermal transfer sheets which provide full color imageshaving excellent color density, clearness and fastnesses, particularlylight fastness by using the mixture of the specific dyes even if a heatenergy applied for an extremely short period of time.

A preferred embodiment of a black thermal transfer illustrate thepresent invention in more detail.

Dyes used in the present invention may be any doe so long as they arerepresented by the general formulae (17) through (21) described above.Of the dyes represented by the general formulae (17) through (21),examples of particularly preferred dyes are shown in the followingTables 27 through 31. There dyes may also be used in combination withthe prior known other dyes.

                  TABLE 27                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (17)                                               (R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent substitutents)                                 No.    R.sub.1    R.sub.2                                                     ______________________________________                                        Y-1                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                              --CON(C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2                                Y-2    --CH.sub.3 --COOC.sub.8 H.sub.17 (n)                                   Y-3                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                   --OC.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                                 Y-4                                                                           cyclohexyl                                                                           --COOC.sub.3 H.sub.7 (n)                                               Y-5                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                   --CONHC.sub.5 H.sub.11                                                 Y-6                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                   2-(4-ethyl-4-isopropylcarboxymethyl)                                                     oxazolynyl)                                                 ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 28                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (18)                                               No.               R.sub.11                                                    ______________________________________                                        Y-7               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.3 H.sub.7                          Y-8               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOPh                                     Y-9               --C.sub.8 H.sub.17 (n)                                      ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 29                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the general formula (19) (R.sub.3 through R.sub.6 represent            substituents)                                                                 No. R.sub.3  R.sub.4  R.sub.5  R.sub.6                                        __________________________________________________________________________    M-1 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --Ph     --NR.sub.7 R.sub.8                                                            (R.sub.7 = --COCH.sub.3,                                                      R.sub.8 = --COPh)                              M-2 --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --Ph     --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                              M-3 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                   2-thienyl-                                                                             cyclohexyl-                                    M-4 --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --Ph     --C.sub.3 H.sub.7                              M-5 --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          2-thienyl-                                                                             --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                              M-6 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --Ph     --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                    M-7 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      4-methoxyphenyl-                                                                       --C.sub.6 H.sub.3                              M-8 --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      2-thienyl-                                                                             --C.sub.6 H.sub.3                              M-9 --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --Ph     cyclohexyl-                                     M-10                                                                             --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --Ph     --CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2                           __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 30                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the general formula (20) (R.sub.9 through R.sub.12 represent           substituents)                                                                 No. R.sub.9    R.sub.10                                                                           R.sub.11  R.sub.12                                        __________________________________________________________________________    C-1 --CONHC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                    --CH.sub.3                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               C-2 --CONH(3-methyl                                                                          --CH.sub.3                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                   phenyl)                                                                   C-3 --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                    --CH.sub.3                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               C-4 --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                   C-5 --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                         --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               C-6 --CONHC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                    --CH.sub.3                                                                         cyclohexyl-                                                                             --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                            C-7 --CONHPh   --CH.sub.3                                                                         phenyl-   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 31                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (21)                                               No    R.sub.9    R.sub.3  R.sub.10                                                                             R.sub.11                                                                             R.sub.12                              ______________________________________                                        C-8   --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                             --CH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                     ______________________________________                                    

The thermal transfer sheet of the present invention is characterized inthat the specific dye mixture as described above are used incombination. Other constitutions may be similar to those of the priorknown thermal transfer sheets. The dye of the general formula (19) isused in an amount of from 50 to 300 parts by weight of the dye of thegeneral formula (17) or (18), and the dye of the general formula (20) or(21) is used in an amount of from 50 to 400 parts by weight based on 100parts by weight of the dye of the general formula (17) or (18). It ispreferred that a mixture of the three dyes be used. If the proportionsare too larger or smaller, a pitch-dark clear color will not beobtained, a color obtained will become yellowish, bluish or reddishblack or the light fastness will be reduced.

In order to adjust hue, the known yellow dyes, magenta dyes and cyandyes can also be mixed. The specific dyes are as described above.

Any prior known material may be used as the base sheet for use in thethermal transfer sheet of the present invention wherein the dyesdescribed above is used, provided that the material has a certainmeasure of heat resistance and strength. Examples of such materialsinclude materials having a thickness of the order of from 0.5 to 50micrometers, preferably from 3 to 10 micrometers such as papers, variousprocessed papers, polyester films, polystyrene films, polypropylenefilms, polysulfone films, polycarbonate films, aramid films, polyvinylalcohol films, cellophane and the like. A particularly preferredmaterial is a polyester film.

A dye-containing layer provided on the surface of the base sheet asdescribed above is a layer wherein the combination of a plurality ofdyes described above is supported on the base sheet by an optionalbinder resin.

Any prior known binder resin can be used as the binder resin forsupporting the dye mixture described above. Examples of the preferredbinder resins include cellulosic resins such as ethyl cellulose,hydroxyethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetatebutyrate; vinylic resins such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate,polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetoacetal, polyvinyl pyrrolidone,polyacrylamide and polystyrene; and the like. Of these, polyvinylbutyral and polyvinyl acetal, ethyl cellulose and ethyl hydroxethylcellulose are particularly preferred from the standpoints of heatresistance and dye migration.

While the dye-containing layer of the thermal transfer sheet of thepresent invention is basically formed by the materials described above,it may include various additives similar to the prior known additives asneeded. Such a dye-containing layer is preferably formed by adding aplurality of dyes, the binder resin and optional components to asuitable solvent to dissolve or disperse each component therein toprepare a coating solution or ink composition for forming thedye-containing layer, applying the coating solution or ink compositionto the base sheet described above and drying the whole.

The dye-containing layer thus formed has a thickness of the order offrom 0.2 to 5.0 micrometers, preferably from 0.4 to 2.0 micrometers. Itis suitable that the dye in the dye-containing layer be present in anamount of from 5% to 70% by weight, preferably from 10% to 60% by weightbared on the weight of the dye-containing layer.

While the present thermal transfer sheet as described above issufficiently useful for thermal transfer as it is, the surface of thedye-containing layer may be provided with an antisticking layer, i.e., arelease layer. Such a layer prevents the sticking between the thermaltransfer sheet and the thermal transfer image-receptive sheet during thethermal transfer operation. Thus, higher thermal transfer temperaturescan be used, and black images having an even more excellent density canbe formed.

When an antisticking inorganic powder is merely deposited, the resultingrelease layer exerts a relatively high effect. Further, a release layerhaving a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 micrometers, preferably from 0.05 to2 micrometers can be formed from resins having excellent releasabilitysuch as silicone polymers, acrylic polymers and fluorinated polymers.Even if the inorganic powder or releasing polymers as described aboveare included in the dye-containing layer, a sufficient effect can beobtained.

Further, the back surface of such a thermal transfer sheet may beprovided with a heat-resistant layer in order to prevent adverse effectdue to the heat of the thermal head.

Any thermal transfer image-receptive sheet may be used in forming blackimages using the thermal transfer sheet as described above, providedthat its recording surface has a dye receptivity against the dyedescribed above. When the transferable materials are those having no dyereceptivity such as papers, metals, glasses and synthetic resins, adye-receptive layer may be formed or at least one surface thereof.

Means for imparting a heat energy used in carrying out thermal transferusing the present thermal transfer sheet as described above and therecordable material as described above may be any of the prior knownmeans. For example, a required purpose can be achieved by imparting aheat energy of the order of from 5 to 100 mJ/mm² by controlling therecording time vic a recording device such as a thermal printer (e.g.,Video Printer VY-100 manufactured by Hitachi Seisakusho).

EXAMPLES 374 THROUGH 383

An ink composition for forming a dye-containing layer having thefollowing composition was prepared. The ink composition was applied to apolyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 micrometers(wherein its back surface had been treated to provide heat resistance)so that the dry coating weight was 1.0 gram per square meter. The wholewas dried to obtain a black thermal transfer sheet of the presentinvention. The combination of dyes are as shown in Table 32.

    ______________________________________                                        Ink Composition                                                               ______________________________________                                        Dye shown in Table 27 or 28                                                                      "a"         parts                                          Dye shown in Table 29                                                                            "b"         parts                                          Dye shown in Table 30 or 31                                                                      "c"         parts                                          Polyvinyl acetoacetal resin                                                                      4           parts                                          Toluene            (96-a-b-c)/2                                                                              parts                                          Methyl ethyl ketone                                                                              (96-a-b-c)/2                                                                              parts                                          ______________________________________                                    

When the dyes in the composition described above were insoluble, asolvent such as DMF, dioxane or chloroform was suitably used.

                  TABLE 32                                                        ______________________________________                                                                    Dye of General                                    Dye of General Dye of General                                                                             Formula (20),                                     Furmula (17), (18)                                                                           Formula (19) (21)                                                           Amount          Amount       Amount                              Ex.  Kind    used "a"  Kind  used "b"                                                                             Kind  used "c"                            ______________________________________                                        Ex.  Y-1     1.8       M-1   2.0    C-1   2.2                                 374                                                                           Ex.  Y-1     1.5       M-2   2.0    C-2   2.6                                 375                                                                           Ex.  Y-4     1.8       M-3   1.9    C-5   2.3                                 376                                                                           Ex.  Y-2     1.7       M-4   2.1    C-3   2.4                                 377                                                                           Ex.  Y-1     1.7       M-1   1.8    C-4   2.5                                 378                                                                           Ex.  Y-3     1.5        M-10 2.4    C-1   1.8                                 379                                                                           Ex.  Y-5     1.9       M-8   2.2    C-6   1.7                                 380                                                                           Ex.  Y-6     1.8       M-1   2.0    C-7   2.0                                 381                                                                           Ex.  Y-1     1.8       M-1   2.0    C-8   2.2                                 382                                                                           Ex.  Y-7     1.6       M-1   2.1    C-8   2.3                                 383                                                                           ______________________________________                                    

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 51

A thermal transfer sheet of this Comparative Example was obtained as inExamples 374 through 380 except that the following ink composition wasused in place of the ink composition for dye-containing layer ofExamples.

    ______________________________________                                         ##STR25##                  1.2   parts                                       1-Amino-2-phenoxy-4-hydroxyanthraquinone                                                                  1.8   parts                                       1-(3-Methylphenyl)amino-4-methylamino                                                                     3     parts                                       anthraquinone                                                                 Polyvinyl acetoacetal resin 4     parts                                       Toluene                     45    parts                                       Methyl ethyl ketone         45    parts                                       ______________________________________                                    

Synthetic paper (Yupo FPG #150 manufactured by Oji Yuka) was used as abase sheet. A coating solution having the following composition wasapplied to the one surface of the base sheet so that its drying coatingweight was 10.0 grams per square meter. The whole was dried for 30minutes at 100° C. to obtain a thermal transfer image-receptive sheet.

    ______________________________________                                        Polyester resin            11.5   parts                                       (Vylon 200 manufactured by Toyobo)                                            Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer                                                                   5.0    parts                                       (VYHH manufactured by U.C.C.)                                                 Amino-modified silicone    1.2    parts                                       (KF-393 manufactured by Shin-etsu Kagaku Kogyo)                               Epoxy-modified silicone    1.2    parts                                       (4-22-343 manufactured by Shin-etsu Kagaku Kogyo)                             Methly ethyl ketone/toluene/cyclohexanone                                                                102.0  parts                                       (weight ratio of 4:4:2)                                                       ______________________________________                                    

Thermal Transfer Recording Test

The above thermal transfer sheets of the present invention andcomparative Example and the thermal transfer image-receptive sheetdescribed above were stacked with the dye-containing layer opposing tothe dye-receptive surface. Recording was carried out by means of athermal head from the back surface of the thermal transfer sheet under ahead application voltage of 11 V for an application time of 16 msec. Theresults are shown in Table 33.

Light Fastness Test

A light fastness test of the cyan images obtained in the thermaltransfer test described above was carried out by means of a xenonfadeometer (Ci 35 A manufactured by Atlas) (the black panel temperaturebeing 50° C. and the illuminance being 50 k Lux).

◯: no fading in the case of the irradiation time of 50 hr.

x: remashable fading in the case of the irradiation time of 50 hr.

Measurement of Color Density

The maximum B/W density of the black image obtained in the thermaltransfer recording test was measured by means of a densitometer RD-918manufactured by U.S. Macbeth Company. The results are shown in thefollowing Table 33. The characteristic curves of Example 374 andComparative Example 51 also are shown in FIG. 1.

                  TABLE 33                                                        ______________________________________                                        Ex.        Light Fastness                                                                            Maximum B/W Density                                    ______________________________________                                        Ex. 374    ◯                                                                             1.88                                                   Ex. 375    ◯                                                                             1.86                                                   Ex. 376    ◯                                                                             1.84                                                   Ex. 377    ◯                                                                             1.83                                                   Ex. 378    ◯                                                                             1.90                                                   Ex. 379    ◯                                                                             1.82                                                   Ex. 380    ◯                                                                             1.83                                                   Ex. 381    ◯                                                                             1.79                                                   Ex. 382    ◯                                                                             1.89                                                   Ex. 383    ◯                                                                             1.91                                                   Com. Ex. 51                                                                              X           1.45                                                   ______________________________________                                    

According to the present invention as described above, there can beobtained the thermal transfer sheet capable of forming the black imageshaving excellent color density and fastnesses, particularly lightfastness by using the specific dyes in combination.

A preferred embodiment of a thermal sheet having at least three colorlayers of yellow, magenta, cyan (and like) formed plane successivelyillustrates the present invention in more detail.

The yellow, magenta and cyan dyes used in the present invention may anydye so long as they are represented by the general formulae (22) through(26) as described above. Of the dyes represented by the general formula(22) through (26), examples of particularly preferred dyes are shown inthe following Tables 34 through 37. These dyes can be used alone or inmixture. Further, the respective dyes can be used in combination withfurther dyes having similar hue other than the dyes represented by thegeneral formula (22) through (26).

                  TABLE 34                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (22)                                               (R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 represent substituents)                                  No.         R.sub.1      R.sub.2                                              ______________________________________                                        Y-1                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7       --CON(C.sub.4 H.sub.9).sub.2                         Y-2         --CH.sub.3   --COOC.sub.8 H.sub.17 (n)                            Y-3                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                        --OC.sub.4 H.sub.9 (n)                                            Y-4                                                                           cyclohexyl  --COOC.sub.3 H.sub.7 (n)                                          Y-5                                                                           isoC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                        --CONHC.sub.5 H.sub.11                                            ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 35                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (23)                                               No.               R.sub.11                                                    ______________________________________                                        Y-6               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OC.sub.3 H.sub.7                          Y-7               --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 COOPh                                     Y-8               --C.sub.8 H.sub.17 (n)                                      ______________________________________                                    

                                      TABLE 36                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the general formula (24)                                               (R.sub.3 through R.sub.6 represent substituents)                              No.  R.sub.3  R.sub.4   R.sub.5                                                                             R.sub.6                                         __________________________________________________________________________    M-1  --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                       --Ph  --NR.sub.7 R.sub.8                                                            (R.sub.7 = --COCH.sub.3                                                       R.sub.8 = --COPh)                               M-2  --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --Ph  --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                               M-3  --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.8 OH                                                                    2-thienyl-                                                                          cyclohexyl-                                     M-4  --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                      --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                                                                       --Ph  --C.sub.3 H.sub.7                               M-5  --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                           2-thienyl-                                                                          --C.sub.4 H.sub.9                               M-6  --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --Ph  --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCH.sub.3                     M-7  --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       4-methoxy                                                                           --C.sub.6 H.sub.13                                                      phenyl                                                M-8  --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                      --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       2-thienyl-                                                                          --C.sub.6 H.sub.13                              M-9  --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                           --Ph  cyclohexyl-                                      M-10                                                                              --(C.sub.2 H.sub.4 O).sub.2 C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                            --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --Ph  --CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2                            __________________________________________________________________________

                                      TABLE 37                                    __________________________________________________________________________    Dye of the general formula (25)                                               (R.sub.9 through R.sub.12 represent substitiuents)                            No.  R.sub.9  R.sub.10                                                                            R.sub.11  R.sub.12                                        __________________________________________________________________________    C-1  --CONHC.sub.3 H.sub.7                                                                  --CH.sub.3                                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               C-2  --CONH(3-                                                                              --CH.sub.3                                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                    methylphenyl)                                                            C-3  --SO.sub.2 NHCH.sub.3                                                                  --CH.sub.3                                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                       --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               C-4  --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                         --CH.sub.3                                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OCOCH.sub.3                   C-5  --CONHCH.sub.3                                                                         --CH.sub.3                                                                          --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 CN                                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                               __________________________________________________________________________

                  TABLE 38                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (26)                                               No.   R.sub.9    R.sub.3  R.sub.10                                                                             R.sub.11                                                                             R.sub.12                              ______________________________________                                        C-6   --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                             --CH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                    --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                     ______________________________________                                    

The thermal transfer sheet of the present invention is characterized inthat three-color dyes of specific combination as described above areused. In order to adjust hue, the know yellow dyes, magenta dyes andcyan dyes as described above may be mixed. Other constitutions may besimilar to those of the prior known three-color thermal transfer sheet.

Any prior known material may be used as the base sheet for use in thethermal transfer sheet of the present invention wherein the dyesdescribed above is used, provided that the material has a certainmeasure of heat resistance and strength. Examples of such materialsinclude materials having a thickness of the order of from 0.5 to 50micrometers, preferably from 3 to 10 micrometers such as papers, variousprocessed papers, polyester films, polystyrene films, polypropylenefilms, polysulfone films, polycarbonate films, aramid films, polyvinylalcohol films, cellophane and the like. A particularly preferredmaterial is a polyester film.

A three-color dye layer provided on the surface of the base sheet asdescribed above is a layer wherein each of the three-color dyesdescribed above is supported on the base sheet by an optional binderresin.

Any prior known binder resin can be used as the binder resin forsupporting the dyes described above. Examples of the preferred binderresins include cellulosic resins such as ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, methylcellulose, cellulose acetate and cellulose acetate butyrate; vinylicresins such as polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl butyral,polyvinyl acetoacetal, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyacrylamide andpolystyrene; and the like. Of these, polyvinyl butyral and polyvinylacetal are particularly preferred from the standpoints of heatresistance and dye migration.

While the three-color dye layer of the thermal transfer sheet of thepresent invention is basically formed by the materials described above,it may include various additives similar to the prior known additives asneeded.

Such a three-color dye layer is preferably formed by adding the dyesdescribed above, the binder resin and optional components to a suitablesolvent to dissolve or disperse each component therein to preparecoating solutions or ink compositions for forming the dye layer,superficially successively applying the coating solutions or inkcompositions to the base sheet described above e.g., in sequence ofyellow, magenta and cyan dyes at a width of several tens of centimetersand drying the whole.

Of course, a four-color dye layer may be produced by forming a black dyelayer in addition to the three-color dye layer as described above.

The three-color dye layer thus formed has a thickness of the order offrom 0.2 to 5.0 micrometers, preferably from 0.4 to 2.0 micrometers. Itis suitable that the dyes in the dye layer be present in an amount offrom 5% to 70% by weight, preferably from 10% to 60% by weight bared onthe weight of the dye layer.

While the present thermal transfer sheet as described above issufficiently useful for thermal transfer as it is, the surface of thedye layer may be provided with an antisticking layer, i.e., a releaselayer. Such a layer prevents the sticking between the thermal transfersheet and the transferable material during the thermal transferoperation. Thus, higher thermal transfer temperatures can be used, andfull color images having an even more excellent density can be formed.

When an antisticking inorganic powder is merely deposited, the resultingrelease layer exerts a relatively high effect. Further, a release layerhaving a thickness of from 0.1 to 5 micrometers, preferably from 0.05 to2 micrometers can be formed from resins having excellent releasabilitysuch as silicone polymers, acrylic polymers and fluorinated polymers.Even if the inorganic powder or releasing polymers as described aboveare included in the dye-containing layer, a sufficient effect can beobtained.

Further, the back surface of such a thermal transfer sheet may beprovided with a heat-resistant layer in order to prevent adverse effectdue to the heat of the thermal head.

Any transferable material may be used in forming full color images usingthe thermal transfer sheet as described above, provided that itsrecording surface has a dye receptivity against the dye described above.When the transferable materials are those having no dye receptivity suchas papers, metals, glasses and synthetic resins, a dye-receptive layermay be formed or at least one surface thereof.

Means for imparting a heat energy used in carrying out thermal transferusing the present thermal transfer sheet as described above and therecordable material as described above may be any of the prior knownmeans. For example, a required purpose can be achieved by imparting aheat energy of the order of from 5 to 100 mJ/mm² by controlling therecording time vic a recording device such as a thermal printer (e.g.,Video Printer VY-100 manufactured by Hitachi Seisakusho).

EXAMPLES 384 THROUGH 393

Ink compositions for forming a three-color dye layer having thefollowing composition was prepared. The ink composition was applied to apolyethylene terephthalate film having a thickness of 6 micrometers(wherein its back surface had been treated to provide heat resistance)so that the each ink composition was superficially successively appliedin sequence of yellow, magenta and cyan ink compositions at a width of30 cm and so that each dry coating weight was 1.0 gram per square meter.The whole was dried to obtain a three-color thermal transfer sheet forfull color according to the present invention. The combinations of thethree-color dyes are as shown in Table 39.

    ______________________________________                                        Yellow Ink Composition                                                        Yellow dye shown in Table 34 or 35                                                                   3       parts                                          Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                              4       parts                                          Toluene                50      parts                                          Methyl ethyl ketone    43      parts                                          Magenta Ink Composition                                                       Magenta dye shown in Table 36                                                                        3       parts                                          Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                              4       parts                                          Toluene                50      parts                                          Methyl ethyl ketone    43      parts                                          Cyan Ink Composition                                                          Cyan dye shown in Table 37 or 38                                                                     3       parts                                          Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                              4       parts                                          Toluene                50      parts                                          Methyl ethyl ketone    43      parts                                          ______________________________________                                         insoluble, a solvent such as DMF, dioxane or chloroform was suitably used.

                  TABLE 39                                                        ______________________________________                                        Ex.   Yellow Dye Magenta Dye     Cyan Dye                                     ______________________________________                                        Ex. 384                                                                             Y-1        M-1             C-1                                          Ex. 385                                                                             Y-1        M-2             C-2                                          Ex. 386                                                                             Y-2        M-3             C-3                                          Ex. 387                                                                             Y-5        M-3             C-4                                          Ex. 388                                                                             Y-1        M-4             C-1                                          Ex. 389                                                                             Y-4        M-5             C-5                                          Ex. 390                                                                             Y-1        2-1             (C-1) + (C-2)                                                                 (7:3)                                        Ex. 391                                                                             Y-1        (M + 1) + (1-amino-2-                                                                         C-1                                                           phenoxy-4-hydroxy                                                             anthraquinone (1:1)                                          Ex. 392                                                                             Y-1        (M + 1) + (1-amino-2-                                                                         C-6                                                           phenoxy-4-hydroxy                                                             anthraquinone (1:1)                                          Ex. 393                                                                             Y-6        (M + 1) + (1-amino-2-                                                                         C-6                                                           phenoxy-4-hydroxy                                                             anthraquinone (1:1)                                          ______________________________________                                    

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 52

A thermal transfer sheet of this Comparative Example was obtained as inExamples 384 through 390 except that the following three-color dyes wereused in place of the three-color dyes of Examples. ##STR26##

Magenta Dye

A 1:1 (weight ratio) mixture of 1-amino-2-phenoxy-4-hydroxyanthraquinoneand 1,4-diamino-2,3-diphenoxyanthraquinone

Cyan Dye

1-3-(Methylphenyl) amino-4-methylaminoanthraquinone

Synthetic paper (Yupo FPG #150 manufactured by Oji Yuka) was used as abase sheet. A coating solution having the following composition wasapplied to the one surface of the base sheet so that its dry coatingweight was 10.0 grams per square meter. The whole was dried for 30minutes at 100° C. to obtain a transferable material.

    ______________________________________                                        Polyester resin            11.5   parts                                       (Vylon 200 manufactured by Toyobo)                                            Vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer                                                                   5.0    parts                                       (VYHH manufactured by U.C.C.)                                                 Amino-modified silicone    1.2    parts                                       (KF-393 manufactured by Shin-etsu Kagaku Kogyo)                               Epoxy-modified silicone    1.2    parts                                       (X-22-343 manufactured by Shin-etsu Kagaku Kogyo)                             Methly ethyl ketone/toluene/cyclohexanone                                                                102.0  parts                                       (weight ratio of 4:4:2)                                                       ______________________________________                                    

Thermal Transfer Recording Test

The above thermal transfer sheets of the present invention andcomparative Example and the transferable materials described above werestacked with the dye-containing layer opposing to the dye-receptivesurface. Recording was carried out in sequence of yellow, magenta andcyan dyes by means of a thermal head from the back surface of thethermal transfer sheet under a head application voltage of 11 V for amaximum application time of 16 msec. The resulting full color imageswere visually examined to evaluate color reproducibility on the thefollowing criteria. The results are shown in Table 40.

◯: very clear

x: unclear

Light Fastness Test

A light fastness test of the full color images obtained in the thermaltransfer test described above was carried out by means of a xenonfadeometer (Ci 35 A manufactured by Atlas)(the black panel temperaturebeing 50° C. and the illuminance being 50 k Lux).

◯: no fading in the case of the irradiation time of 50 hr.

x: remarkable fading in the case of the irradiation time of 50 hr.

Measurement of Color Density

The maximum B/W density of the achromatic portions of the full colorimages obtained in the thermal transfer recording test described abovewas measured by means of a densitometer RD-918 manufactured by U.S.Macbeth Company. The results are shown in the following Table 40. Thecharacteristic curves of the three primary color portions of Example 384and Comparative Example 52 are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively.

Measurement of Color Reproducibility

The color reproduction ranges of Example 384 and Comparative Example 52were measured by means of a color difference meter CR-221 manufacturedby Minoruta. The results are shown in FIG. 4.

                  TABLE 40                                                        ______________________________________                                                  Color        Light    Maximum B/W                                   Ex.       Reproducibility                                                                            fastness Density                                       ______________________________________                                        Ex. 384   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.78                                          Ex. 385   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.84                                          Ex. 386   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.81                                          Ex. 387   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.82                                          Ex. 388   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.86                                          Ex. 389   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.88                                          Ex. 390   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.87                                          Ex. 391   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.85                                          Ex. 392   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.86                                          Ex. 393   ◯                                                                              ◯                                                                          1.88                                          Com. Ex. 52                                                                             X            X        1.43                                          ______________________________________                                    

According to the present invention as described above, there can beprovided the thermal transfer sheets capable of forming the full colorimages having excellent color density, clearness, color reproducibilityand fastnesses, particularly light fastness by using the specificyellow, magenta and cyan dyes in combination.

A preferred embodiment of a cyan thermal transfer sheet illustrates thepresent invention in more detail.

Of the dyes represented by the general formulae (27) and (28) describedabove, examples of the particularly preferred dyes for use in thepresent invention are shown in the following Tables 41 and 42.

                  TABLE 41                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (27)                                               No.   R.sub.1    R.sub.2 R.sub.3                                                                              R.sub.4                                                                             R.sub.5                                 ______________________________________                                        1     --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                           --CH.sub.3                                                                            --CH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                       2     --NHCOPh   --CH.sub.3                                                                            --CH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                       3     --NHCOCH.sub.3                                                                           --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                     --OC.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.5                                                                   --C.sub.2 H.sub.4 OH                    ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 42                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of the general formula (28)                                               No.            R.sub.6      R.sub.7                                           ______________________________________                                        1              --H          --H                                               2              --H          3-CH.sub.3                                        3              4-CH.sub.3   4-Cl                                              ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLES 394 THROUGH 396

Example 294 was repeated except that the ink composition was replacedwith the following composition. The results are shown in Table 43.

    ______________________________________                                        Dye of the formula (27)                                                                         "a"         parts                                           Dye of the formula (28)                                                                         "b"         parts                                           Polyvinyl butyral resin                                                                         4.5         parts                                           Methyl ethyl ketone                                                                             45.75       parts                                           Toluene           45.75       parts                                           ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 43                                                        ______________________________________                                        Dye of Formula                                                                              Dye of Formula                                                  (27)          (28)                                                                         Amount        Amount                                                          used          used   color  Light                                Ex.   No.    "a"      No.  "b"    Density                                                                              Fastness                             ______________________________________                                        394   1      3.7      1    0.3    1.92   ◯                        395   1      3.8      2    0.2    1.94   ◯                        396   2      3.8      3    0.2    1.90   ◯                        ______________________________________                                         ##STR27##

What is claimed is:
 1. A thermal transfer sheet comprising a base sheetand a dye-containing layer formed on one surface of said base sheetwherein a magenta dye included in said dye-containing layer is a mixtureof (i) at least one anthraquinone dye represented by the followingformulae (5) through (8):wherein X and Y represent --S--, --O--, or--SO₂ ; R₁, R₂ and R₃ represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl,cycloalkyl, aryl or allyl group, and R₄ represent a halogen atom or acyano group and; (ii) at least one polymethine dye represented by thefollowing formula (9): ##STR28## wherein R₅ and R₆ represent asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl; R₇ represents a substituted orunsubstituted aryl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aromaticheterocyclic group; R₈ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkylor cycloalkyl group or NR₉ R₁₀ ; and R₉ and R₁₀ represent a substitutedor unsubstituted alkylcarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstitutedarylcarbonyl group.
 2. A black thermal transfer sheet comprising a basesheet and a dye layer containing a plurality of dyes which is formed onone surface of said base sheet wherein said dye layer contains at leastone dye represented by the following general formulae (17) and (18), atleast one dye represented by the following general formula (19) and atleast one dye represented by the following general formulae (20) and(21): ##STR29## wherein R₁ represents a substituted or unsubstitutedalkyl or alkoxy group; R₂ represents an alkoxycarbonyl, mono- ordi-alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxy, alkyl, cycloalkyl orheterocyclic group; R₃ and R₄ represent a substituted or unsubstitutedalkyl group; R₅ represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group ora substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R₆represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or cycloalkyl group orNR₇ R₈ ; R₇ and R₈ represent a substituted or unsubstitutedalkylcarbonyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted arylcarbonylgroup; R₁₁ and R₁₂ represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl,cycloalkyl or vinyl group; R₉ represents CONHR, NHCOR, SO₂ NHR, or NHSO₂R in which R represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl,cycloalkyl, aryl or aromatic heterocyclic group; and R₁₀ represents asubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylcarbonylamino,alkylsulfonylamino, carbamoyl or sulfamoyl group, a hydrogen atom, or ahalogen atom.
 3. A thermal transfer sheet comprising a base sheet and atleast three color layers of yellow, magenta, and cyan formed on onesurface of said base sheet and wherein said at least three-color dyelayer contains at least one dye represented by the following formulae(22) and (23) as the yellow dye, at least one dye represented by thefollowing formula (24) as the magenta dye and at least one dyerepresented by the following formulae (25) and (26) as the cyan dye:##STR30## wherein R₁ and R₁₀ represent a substituted or unsubstitutedalkyl or alkoxy group; R₂ represents an alkoxycarbonyl, mono- ordi-alkylaminocarbonyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxy, alkyl, or cycloalkyl group;R₃ and R₄ represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; R₅represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or a substituted orunsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group; R₆ represents a substitutedor unsubstituted alkyl or cycloalkyl group or NH₇ R₈ ; R₇ and R₈represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkylcarbonyl group or asubstituted or unsubstituted arylcarbonyl group; R₁₁ and R₁₂ representsubstituted or unsubstituted alkyl, or aryl group; R₉ represents CONHR,NHCOR, SO₂ NHR, or NHSO₂ R in which R represents a substituted orunsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylcarbonylamino, alkylsulfonylamino,carbamoyl or sulfamoyl group, a hydrogen atom, or a halogen atom.